The Indianapolis journal., 1898-06-19
MRS. e. d. e. N. sOUTHwoRTa.
She Has Written More Popular Novels
than Any other Native Woman.
Boston Globe.

Boston Globe.
Prospect cottage, a small, unpretentious,
story -and-a-half residence in Georgetown,
or, rather West Washington as it is now
called, is the home of Mrs. Southworth, the
most prolific American woman novelist.
Mrs Emily Dorothy Eliza NeVitte South
worth, to give her full name, was born in
Washington in 1919, and for the greater part
of her life has lived there. Although not
many names are better known to the read
ing public of the last generation, there are
few people with whose personality the pub
lie is less familiar. Mrs. Southworth S
health has been such as not to allow indul-
gence in social functions in addition to
which her work and her inclination actually
forbade it.
married Frederick H. Southworth in 1S40.
Four years later the young wife found 1t
necessary to add to the support OF the lam, m
public schools of Washington. Finding a
teachers salary unequal to her needs, She
supplemented it by writing short stories.
In 1849 her first novel, "Retribution, was
published. It's success was so great that she
abandoned the school and took up her pen,
which for more than half century mas not
been idle. Romance after romance came in
quick succession, and were eagerly deVoured
by the novel-reading public. While many
of her stories are highly sensational and
lurid there is much strong, dramatic and
finely descriptive work in them.
Mrs. Southworth must have made what
was considered a fortune in those days, but
she has never altered her style of living,
and now that she is on the turning point OF
eighty years, she dwellS in a house that
might belong to a poor laborer. Prospect
cottage occupies a commanding view on
Potomac heights. The low veranda, which
extends around three sides, furnishes a
coign of vantage from which good part of
the city and the broad sweep of the river
can be seen. Tt neStles among the trees,
and climbing. vines, and before the advent
of two electric railways must have been a
picture of rural beauty. There is junction
of two roads in front of the house, and on
SUNDAYS when the are filled with
crowds Of pleasure seekers, ii is not choice
locality The policeman who keeps watch
and ward over that square usually Volun-
teers the information to any one who looks
like a stranger. that lin that there little
old house is where Mrs. Southworth writ all
them novels of hern.
The stranger remembers with great vague
ness that in her childish days she was in
terested in "Capitola" and her troubles. and
looks with eagernesS toward the house in
dicated. She sees low. dark. tumble-doWn
dwelling with coarse Nottingham lace at
the windows. giving evidence of great neg
lect at the present writing. The same guar
dian of the peace further relates that Mrs.
Sonthworth, old and inyalided lives alone,
with only a nephew Dr. Southworth, TO look
after her decliElnk years.
Mrs. Southworth has never been favorite
in society. Her early years were so full
of work and woe that she had neither time
nor disposition to go out TO frivol. III
was long before the literary part of society
gave up trying TO inveigle the authoress
to enter it's circle, and then only after the
reception of note after note OF refusal,
couched in the most pathetic language. tell
ing of work worry and that direst of calam-
iles. neuralgia. Necessity. Which Is silo