The times., 1899-07-01
MRS. SOUTHWORTH DEAD.
The Novelist Passes Away at Pros
pect Cottage Last Might.

pect Cottage Last Night.
Mrs. E. d. E. N. Southworth, the nov
elist, died last night at $3.50 O'Clock at her
home, Prospect Cottage.
There were present at the bedside when
death came, DR.. Richard ]. Southworth,
son of the deceased and his wife; Mrs.
James Valentine Lawrence, daughter of
Mrs. Southworth, and her young son,
James Lawrence.
The arrangements for the funeral had
not been completed last night, though it
was decided that the funeral should take
place on Monday and that the interment
will be made at Oak Hill Cemetery.
Mrs. Emma Dorothy Eliza Nevitte South
worth was born in this city, on New Jer-
sey Avenue, near Virginia Avenue south
east, December 26, 1919. She was the
daughter of Charles lie Count Nevitte and
Susanna Wales Nevitte. The greater part
OF her life has been spent here, where she
wrote most of the novels which gained
Tor her the reputation of being the most
proiihc writer of romance in America The
early part of her life was uneventfuI. In
lS4O she was married to Frederick II.
Southworth, and four years later found 1t
necessary to teach school in order to aid
In the support of the family. For five
years she was teacher in the public
SCHOOLS OF the city, and it was during this
time that she began her literary work,
which afterward brought her fame and for
tune. 1t was in 1S47 that, finding her in
come from teaching school insufficient to
meet her needs, she attempted writing to
supplement her small salary. She began
without knowledge of the ability which
ri
was her first attempt. She had intended
to complete 1t in one number. but found
that 1t could not be finished in that limit
ed space, and, continuing to write, finally
finished it in ten numbers The produc-
ton appeared in the Washington National
Era, and the editor, DR.. Bailey, asked for
another, "Ritribution" was tow year aft
erward published in book form by the
Harpers, being the first novel printed from
newspapers or magazines in that form.
Mrs Southworth did the greater part
OF her work for Bonner's New York
Ledger" and for years was a regular con-
tributor. Her work for that paper huilt
up It's circulation and made its owner a
fortune. Her stories, which appeared in
that paper. were eagerly read By all
romantic Americans of the time, and it
was with the greatest avidity that each
edition was purchased by the young women
OF the period. The plots of her stories
We're for the most part taken from real
life. THE Hidden Hand" was mainly
true, and some of the incidents and scenes
portrayed were drawn from genuine Incl
dents in the National Capital The Capt.
toia OF the story gained great popularity
in both the United States and England,
and when Mrs. Southworth visited Great
Britain in 1858, that country seemed to
have become infatuated with Capitola, for
everything was being named for the
heroine of the novel.
When THE Hidden Hand" was written
Mrs. Southworth was surrounded by the
most distressing circumstances. Her son
was very i'll and she was harassed by her
own and her sisters troubles. So infatu-
ated.with her work was she that when the
time came for writing she lost herself to
her troubles and was for the time being
really happy.
'Ishmael' Is considered to be her best
work from literary standpoint. One OF
the characters portrayed is drawn from
incidents in the life of William Writ who,
for twelve years. was Attorney General
during the administrations of Monroe and
John Quincy Adams. Mr. Writ when a
boy, attended school in Georgetown. being
a pupil at the classical seminary of Mr.
Rodgers. He lived with the family of Mr.
Friends, who occupied a log house near
Rock Creek. at the foot of Bridge Street
tnow NJ Street, in Georgetown. Mr.. Writ
was also the author of the British Spy
Romance after romance came in quick
succession, and were eagerly deyoured by
the novel-reading public. While many of
her stories are highly sensational and
luFid, there is much strong, dramatic and
finely descriptive work in them.
-.
was considered a fortune in those days,
but she never Altered her style Of living.
a. For many years after beginning to pub
lsh, Mrs. Southworth brought out three
volumes year, but later on her health
broke down and her books came out less
frequently. She has altogether published
one for every year OF the allotted span
of human life, no inconsiderable showing
for a woman.
She wrote seventy-three complete oyels
besides many other shorter stories. among
the most popular are;
''victor's Triumph a Beautiful Fi-ni "
Heir oi Liplitilgaw. Tried ior litr Use.
"Cul as the Grave, -fhl Maiden W.ia4.'
''The Iamily Doom. Primes ~ ulrtnra,
''Thc Brides Pate" ''rhr Changed H-drs,
"How Hc Wen Her "fair fiy,' islru
Pride" ''Thc Christmas Guest 'Ihe NIi7H's
Son, Tho Bride of LtefliIu,' '-fb. Fortune
sceker.- che Fatal Marriage" che p..siiei
Wife "Tha Hrid1i Eve. 'ihe Lost Hrii.s-
The Two SISTERS. ''i-dy ~ thr F'e.. "f.r
Three B.auti,.." ~ rsi. of the Secret 81 Pave-.
'"rhe M-.irg Bride" Loves Labr Wen.
..Ihe Gvp.-r'. Prophecy Haunted Homestead ~
''Wife's }iatnu.' "AIvuith Abbey Ilr
Nothef-iu Law" ''Betuhufion. ''lndia r,sd sf
Pearl River" "Cwse ef clifton "D-asrded
Daughter
sis. Southworth travelled widely. and
y .aHI
valuable material for her work. She had
a remarkable faculty OF observing and re-
membering the incidents Of every day life
which an ordinary observer would entirely
overlook. These she made to answer for
many Of the interesting situations and
scenes with which her stories are filed.
In the United States she Travelled from far
northern Canada to Mississippi and in the
West. having covered much of the terri
tory several times. Mrs. Southworth went
TO England at the invitation of the editor
of the London Journal" who suggested
that she endeavor to secure an interna-
tional copyright. She was, however, un-
able TO accomplish what she sought.
She remained abroad for about three years,
and during that time made many distin-
guished acquaintances, among them being
Lady Byron, who did much to make Mrs.
Southworths stay in England pleasant
Among Mrs. Southworth's distinguished
acquaintances was the poet, John G. Whit
tier. She met Mr.. Whittier many years
before the war at the home of DR.. Bailey.
the editor of the National Era. From
the date OF their meeting there existed be-
tween them the most friendly relations.
and from that time until the poets death
regular correspondence was carried on
between them. 1t was Mrs. Southworth
who suggested to Whittier the Barbara
Fritchie incident from which he evolved
his poem of that name Mrs. Southworth
IL is said was told the story hy O. =