Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-06-11

"a Ns4ZET the center of literary
a E&G,M production threatens te
Xxx be permanently trans.
S ferred to Washington
The capital Is already
more prolific of books, even books of miscel-
laneous and general character, than any other
American city, and here reside many of the bes,
known authors, and here, about to be sheltered
In 9 magnificent temple Of gray granite, is the
largest library in this country, of 100000 titles.
WASHINGTON AND HER POETS.
Great poets and historians have always been
attracted hither. The best-kno&n poet of
Americas first quarter of century, Joel Bar
low, lived here at "Kalorama" and here he fin
ished and published America first and longest,
II not most brilliant epic, the "Columbiad -
Here, during that first decade wrote Philip
Freneau and William Writ, the most successful
poet and historian Of their times. Here, q gen.
Grafton later, sojourned N. P. Willis and here at
bis little table at the window of the Washington
Club, later the Seward mansion and now the
property and residence OF James G. Blaine, he
made those dashes at life with free pencil
by which he won his greatest popularity. His
son, Bailey Willis, is now one of the expert
specialists Of the United States geological sur
vey, and Is an enthusiastic investigator and a
writer Of force. He has much Of the affable
and attractive manners Of his father.
SOME NOTABLE NAMES.
The war for the Union caused On effervescenoe
OF literary elements. remember going down
to the lunch table in the Treasury Department
IN 1864 and meeting there assembled BY acct
dent Walt Whitman, W. ID. OConnor, the
novelist; Ed. stedman, now the banker poet
John Pierpont, the reform poet, ard John J.
P1att, now our consul at Cork who has turned
on several volumes Of good verse since then.
In that same Treasury Department Maturin N.
Bauou was a clerk for Ave years and went thence
to the editors sanctum.
De. BAILEYs BRILLIANT QUARTET.
Ten years before the wRr the most popular
and widely read American novel was given to
the Light here-'Cncle Toms Cabin"-and DR..
Bailey Of the National Era, In which It SD
peared, seems to have made his home kind OF
hot-bed OF feminine genius At least four Of
the best known and most productive literary
women Of this last generation began their work
here-Mrs. Stowe, Gail Hamilton, Mrs. E. d. Z.
n. Southvorth and Mrs. Sara j. Lippincott
CNGrace Greenwood'l. Let me tell you q word
about 1t: Mrs. Stowe lived up in Maine, where
her husband was o professor in Bowdoin. Dr.
Bailey had read some Of her fugitive sEetches.
and knowing she was poor, he one day sent her
600 and said: "Come, write me a short anti
slavery story for the Era" She began the
'short story" which so extended the circula-
ton Of the Era that she heightened and length
ened 1t until 1t became '.Uncle Toms Cabin +"
"Grace Greenwood WAS at that time q gov
erness In Dr. Bailey's family, and there she, too,
began TO write for the ErC, showing something
Of that sympathy with childhood and
high and wholesome sentiment which after
ward bloesomed out into score Of
books. l believe Mary Abigail Dodge, better
known as "Gail Hamilton because born in
Hamilton, Mass) succeeded "Grace Green
fOr he xVaa ~ ofla 81
for several years and there also first leaned the
graceful magic Of the pen. She has produced,
believe. thirty books in all, and besides her out
put OF ironical pleasantly has been charged
With some sharp aud satirical writing Of which
she was not guilty. She lives here now in the
family Of Mr.. Blaine, writing occasionally, but
giving most Of her time TO pleasant social
duties. She is no longer the slip Of q girl who
taught the young idea how to shoot among
Gamaliel Baileys children, but verv matronly
person indeed. The other of DR.. Bailey's
Protegees, somewhat known among the
irreverent girls as alphabet Southworth," had
already suffered from an unfortunate marriage
when she began TO write "Retribution' for the
Era. The man In the case was Fred South
worth Of New York; he ran away year OF two
after his marriage and has never been seen
since. Mrs. Southworth could not
get . divorce for desertion under
the laws of the District and special act of
Congress was passed to enable her to free her.
self from the cruel rover's name. But she
never took advantage Of 1t. She was teaching
In public school in Washington when she first
attracted Bailey's attention and her first earn
ings with her pen were very small indeed. Mrs.
6outhworth was born in this city and her pres
emit home Is q kind Of eagles nest on the banks
Of the Potomac high above Georgetown, in a
lofty, quiet villa, many sided and many gabled
and much balconied, commanding an ex .ensive
view along the valley and over the town. For
ffteAn veara R0nreY maid ber oOo a yoar h.
sides giving her the copyright of all her books,
some Of which passed through innumerable
editions and were presented On the stage The
old lady Is in prime health, her sight and hear
ing are good and che walks about and calls upon
her friends without effort. She ceased hard
work about ten years ago, when She was sixty-
four, and that year, in counting up her pro-
ductions, found that she had written exactly
siHty-four novels. She has two children
and enough grandchildren to fill a
ss sss. Sss.,r sass' u Mrs h.,. ppncot
Hill, and is walking down the declivity of life
with considerable comfort. She still retains
something Of the remarkable beauty for which
hsr youth was celebrated, and her firm mouth
and Websterian brow and eyes give an i'm
preston OF great intellectual strength. She is
IN good health and enjoyment of life, and will
probably see fair slice Of the next century.
Her husband and son are clerks here. or her
work nothing need be said-a million children
know all about it. She is not writing much lust
now, being absorbed with the care of her
house, and, as she expresses il, too much OF
housekeeper to make a good author and too
much OF an author TO make q good house
keeper.
II may not be generally known that Lord I,yt-
Tor, 'Owen Meredith, wrote several Of his
first poems and began his delightful romance Of
Lucille" while in this city serving as attache 70
his uncle, Sir Henry, then minister here and
living on lafayette square, opposite the White
House. Edwin Arnold, too, has written some
poetry here, and here during o sojourn he mar
ried q daughter Of Rev. William II. Claiming. a
Unitarian minister, whose old church is now
the police station and central lookup of Wash
ington.
HAY AND NIcoLAY AT HOME
Among the best known Of cur authors are
Col. Nicolay and Col. Hay, whose titles were
won in the service Of President Lincoln as pri-
waite secretaries during the war. They are both
resting after the hard work of twenty years in
writing the life Of their great chief. Col. Nico-
lay owns and occupies one Of the old-fashioned
homes Of Capitol Hill, near the new library.
he IL alone In the world with the exception of a
bright, interesting daughter, who has attained
high training in art, and whose studio on the
second hoor contains many fine examples Of
marine views, in which she excels, and other
natural scenery. She has also painted her
fsther In various lights and attitudes with much
success. Her pictures have found place in the
art exhibitions Of New York and elsewhere. The
IL all Il a -