The age-herald., 1901-05-04
Miss Pitkin Writes Interesting Iy of Miss Alma Ritten> berry and Her Lit
 erary Career.
BY ANNIE KENDRIck WALKER.


 That Miss Alma Rlttenberry's clever newspaper and magazine work is receiv- Ing very deserved recognition abroad, her success placing her in the front rank among the literary women of the south. is evident in the number of articles from her pen which have been appearing in many of the leading journals this season The historical value of her work has made ready market for everything that she writes, and there is no greater proof of her success than the fact that the out Side world wants to know something of the personal side of the woman whose work is bringing her wide recognition.
 Miss Pitkin, editor of the woman's De- partment of the New Orleans Times Democrat, gives an interesting sketch of Miss -Rittenbury, of whom she writes as follows:
 One of the most interesting character studies that has come under the notice of the writer Is that whose outward part is presented on this page; that of Miss AL ma Rittenberry of Birmingham No wom- an in the south has any finer prospects in the Journalistic field than has this na- tive Tennesseean. She is a tall. vigorous young woman. with earnest gray-blue eyes and light brown hair: but these are details. Her life work has been and is of the sort that must inspire the deepest re- spect and interest; and she does not ob- ject to any particularization of 1t, for, as she says, Tt may be an encourage ment to some other struggling woman m h uix hut to h,,ff bridges"
 And yet Miss Rittenberry considers that nothing out of the ordinary has ever happened in her life" With the spirit of those fair ministrants that wrought so much for good in the war of '61, this pur- poseful woman has overcome unchange- able conditions and arrived at position of dignity and independence In the south ern field of letters, and is making head way with eastern journals as well. 'I have been climbing hills all my life," writes Miss Rittenberry in a private let ter. When I get to the top of one, an- other higher and of more difficult ascent looms up. but never permit my spirit to drop and repine. I have long since learned that the only way to down an obstacle Is to tackle it. I have done every kind of work a woman may do, except take in washing, peddle weinerwurst or break in- to the privacy of the home as book agent. I have clerked, though mostly in a bookstore, and I have done a little pro- fessional nursing. have been a drum mer for tea and baking powder and be- came acquainted with all the sights and hardships such a living entails. I went to the Tennessee Centennial as an insur- ance agent, hoping to combine business with pleasure. While in the city I tried to insure two gentlemen, knowing that if I could get them in my company the fact would prove an incentive to others to go in My only experience with these, however, was this:
 "One flattered me- and, finding me a good listener, talked away valuable time on the subject of his especial hobby; the other told me a risque story. l made use of both experiences, not as means of but In an endeavor to show other women who struggle in the marts of men the means men employ to test a woman who wage-wins to see if she is made out of bow of steel or piece of Do these men. I wonder, ever stop to think that the women in the case get good insight into their own charac- ter?"
 Miss Rittenberry Is a Daughter of the Confederacy, having been an officer in the Pelham Chapter ever since it's organi- zation until January last, when she was compelled to resign on account of con tinued illness in her family. A rising vote of thanks was given her for her work in the chapter and resolutions of regret passed on her resignation. Her father, Capt, l.. J. Rittenberry. Is well known in Middle Tennessee; he won his title for brave conduct in the Civil war, being in command of the Fifty-third Ten nessee Regiment. He was wounded in the battle of Franklin, Tenn. Her moth CT belongs to the Campbell family. an old and extensive one in America, the first one landing in Philadelphia in 1725. They fought at Kings Mountain and at Gull ford Courthouse. The homestead in which her mothers family settled in ISIS is still in her family, no one ever having lived on the tract save one of the Campbell name. Slaves and possessions having passed from the hands of the family, Miss Rittenberry from her childhood has real ized the necessity of making her own way and her only capital as she modest ly confesses, was stick-at-it-iveness.
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