The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-09-24
HERE IS "OUR BAB."
Most Famous Woman Correspondent
in the World.

Helpful Philosophy That Comforts
Thousands-Her Pretty Home.
OF Mrs. Isabel Alderdice Mallon, who
is known to the readers of the MORNING
News as Dab" the chatty philosopher,
Grace Esther Drew writes in the New
York Press as follows: "Mrs. Mallon
comes of the old Sloan family of Hartford
county, Maryland. And her paternal
ancestors had dwelt for five generations
in the big mansion in Baltimore where
she herself was born and lived until her
marriage. If you happen to be familiar
with Baltimore you have noticed an in
teresting old place next the well-known
Winans residence. This is where our
Bah first opened her brown eyes, eyes
that would be saucy enough but for the
gentle element in her nature, inherited
from her little mother, who comes of old
Quaker Delaware stock.
Mrs. Sloan, the mother, is gray-haired,
cheery-faced, the boon companion of her
daughter in all her joys, and chosen coun-
selor and comforter in her sorrows.
The combination of Quaker piety and
self-control with southern vim and gra-
clousness accounts for Bah as we who
read her letters understand her. Born
and reared in luxury, she never went to
school, but was attended by governesses
until foreign travel and residence gave
finish to her education.
/ HER FIRST SWEETHEART.
At the age of IL the little Isabel had a
sweetheart-her first real one. And she
lOvad him with oil hay, child LIa
was William Mallon, an Irish boyof noble
parentage and seven years her senior.
During the separation which followed
their first meetings she allowed no other
fancy to mar her first affection. He
should return from Ireland, he said, and
marry her. And he did.
She was but Is, her hair hung in two
long braids when she and her afianced
husband stole away-yes stole away-to
New York, and were married in Trinity
church. This was on Saturday. 1t was
unlucky to go Friday the child thought
Immediately the young bride and groom
returned to Baltimore, where the child
wife flung herself into her mothers arms
and begged forgiveness for running
awayn
/ 1t was granted with mothers bless
ing, for there had been no objection to
the marriage. except the daughters youth
And while her mother had never positive
ly given her consent, she had not refused
it.
And the big, handsome young Irishman
made the life of the little girl very happy.
Together they spent the next few years
abroad in london and in Ireland Then
they returned to this country-to this
city-to make it her home.
But their life together here was to last
but short time, for Mr.. Mallon was
stricken with fatal illness-consump-
ton.
1t had also come about that funds were
not so plentiful as before, and during the
illness of her husband the necessity
arose which has given US ''Bab."
HER FIRST WORK.
One day this brave little woman, who
had not known before the meaning of
work, and while her heart was breaking,
made application to the manager of a
publishing house for work
"What can you do2" said he.
Anything-scrub your floor if you've
nothing better for me; it needs it.'
'Can you write fashions2"
She thought she could and was there
fore engaged at a salary of $40 week to
work at the Office nine hours each day.
While the few dollars thus earned she
was able to do for her husband all that
loving human hands could do.
During the last few days of his illness
she was allowed to do her work at home.
She wrote of the fashions by his bedside.
For just one day did her courage leave
her-that upon which he died. But she
sent word to the Office that they should
receive her copy the next morning.
They did. And for three years she
worked faithfully at her task, which had
become that OF providing sustenance for
herself and others.
In those days there were stage coaches
up Broadway, and never by any chance
did the little bread-winning fashion
writer miss the one which would bring
her to the Office at ESQ. If she were a
moment late in getting to the corner, she
found the stage waiting for her 1t be-
came part of the drivers daily duties
to see that the young struggler reached
her work on time.
During these years her salary was
raised from time to time and about half
dozen years ago she left that position and
began writing her "Bab" letters
The idea of the letter was her own, and
no one has successfully initiated her
though there have been numerous at
tempts Aside from the Dab" let
ters she now writes the choice fashion
article which appears in each issue of the
Ladies Home journal.
TRIPLY FAMOUS WOMAN.
She has thus become doubly famous
moreover, she is triply so, and along three
distinct and possibly opposing lines. For
in every number of an exceptionally popu-
lar monthly there is an article of Mrs.
Mallon's signed with a pen name with
which every woman in this country who
keeps up with the periodicals are familiar
For rather peculiar business reasons this
non de plume cannot be mentioned
Mrs. Mallon's home is in New York
city, as it has been for years With her
mother and maid she lives quietly in a
little fat near the Park Avenue Hotel
There are hardly more than a half dozen
rooms. The largest is now in its summer
clothing. There is a straw mating over
the floor, willow couches and chairs, and
transparent draperies have re-
placed the heavier winter hangings and
furnishings.
The walls are covered with paintings,
etchings and photographs of famous peo-
pile she has met.
The numerous bookcases are filed with
standard and the newest books.
For Bah reads pretty nearly every
thing And this includes literal piles Of
daily newspapers. Her fayorite authors
are Thackeray, Balzac and Swinburne.
Aside from the great amount Of time
she spends in what might be called routine