Mississippi leader. (Jackson, Miss.) 1892-1895, 1893-10-17

the review of the life and work Of Fran
ces Il. Willard in the same magazine
about a year ago The reelection of
Lady Somerset to the presidency of the
British Woman's Christian Temperance
Union, after the recent spirited cam
paign, has increased public interest in
this eminent co-worker of Miss Will
lard, andmakes this character study of
specially timely interest
Mr.. Stead touches, in his inimita bic
manner, upon Lady Somersets famous
ancestry and romantic marriage, her
: acquaintance with Miss Willard, her
visit and reception in America, and
! gives detailed account of her connec-
ton with temperance reform and char
ita ole work in Great Britain. There is
a richly illustrated article with full.
length page portrait of Lady Somerset,
half dozen others taken at different
periods of life. picture of Lord Som
ers and Countess Somers. her parents,
and views of Eastnor Castle, Reigate
Priory, and her cottage at Reigate.
Extracts will only increase the desire
to read the whole sketch and see it's
numerous illustrations. The following
paragraphs will, however. be of par
ticular interest to American temper
ance workers, and will serve, too, to
show the thoroughly sympathetic tone
in which the English editor of the Re-
view of Reviews has written of this IA
nous leader of the temperance women
of Great Britain:
Lady Somerset Finds Her Work.
Lady Somersets first temperance
speech was delivered to the villagers in
a little schoolroom close to Eastpor
Castle gate. 1t was carefully prepared,
lust fifteen minutes long, and at its
close she signed the pledge and invited
them to follow her example. For she
practised what she preached, and be-
came herself total abstainer. That
was the first decided step on the road
which has led her TO the presidency of
the most active temperance association
in Britain = Lady Henry per-
severed. Beginning with temperance,
she gradually advanced. Perhaps it
was the memory of John Stuart Mill;
perhaps it was the natural influence of
her own surroundings; but whatever
it was Lady Henry began to discern
more and more clearly that the whole
moral movement was inextricably
wrapped up with the cause of woman
and the cause of labor. In her own
terse phrase she discovered that she
who is the 'Lifegiver" should also be
'thc Lawgiver."
Acquaintance With Miss Willard.
One day at Eastnor she came ccross
Miss Wizards touching tribute to her
sister Mary, entitled Nineteen Beau
tiful Years" st was a rainy Sunday,
some seven years ago." Lady Henry
told me, that ! went down as usual at
the Castle to have tea with my capa BILE
and faithful housekeeper We usually
discussed the affairs of the village, and
the wants of the people, as she con-
Quoted large mothers meetings for me
in the village I saw on her ia BILE a
little blue book, and taking it up read
the title Nineteen Beautiful Years
It was the well-known memorial vol
ume written by Frances Z Willard
after the death of her sister Mary. l
sat down by the he and soon became
so engrossed that my old housekeeper
could get nothing out of me that day,
nor did move until had finished the
little volume. From that time on l
was impressed by that personality that
has meant so much to so many women.
The simpilclty, inc qudinV cdhoor' dnu
the delicate touches of humor and
pathos were a revelation to me of
character that remained on my mind
as belonging to one whom I placed in
a niche among the ideal lives of whom
hoped to know more, and at whose
shrines worshipped- My first visit to
America was as much to see and know
Miss Willard as for any other purpose,
and to understand from her the princi-
pie upon which she had worked the
marvellous organization of which she
has long been President"
At Chicago she first met Miss Willard
and found all her anticipations more