The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1902-05-20
Washington
Day by Day

persons who have allowed themselves to
become prejudiced against Miss Stone.
the missionary, will do well to disabuse
their minds of all preconceived opinions
or i'll feeling regarding her. 1t is lament
ably true that the newspapers and the
magazines, especially one or two Of the
magazines. have, with perhaps the best
of good intentions, done Miss Stone
grave injury before the universal public.
The pictures printed Of her have been
purely imaginary, and In no sense to her
credit. The differences drawn respecting
her have In many instances, been unkind
to the point of libel. While the sympathy
of the world was aroused by Miss stones
detention by Macedonian brigands,
there has been studied effort on the
part Of certain elements Of the public
prints to ridieule this most excellent
woman.
Miss Stone personally is the antithesis
of the woman she has been represented
to be; therefore practically every person
who has conceived an opinion of her Is
laboring under a wrong impression. Every
such person might as well surrender opin-
ions until he or she comes face to face
with Miss Stone.
Miss Stone Is now In Washington. Last
night had the privilege and the great
pleasure of meeting her, though the meet
ing was quite by accident Passing some
ladies outside the parlor In my hotel, they
informed me that they were awaiting the
appearance of Miss Stone, and kindly In
vited me to wait with them. They were
southern ladies', wives of Congressman,
and desired simply to pay their respects
to Miss Stone, one of them having met
her earlier in the evening. This one who
had met Miss Stone was Mrs. Bartlett
the charming wife of Congressman Bart
lett of Georgia. Mrs. Bartlett bears a
striking personal resemblance to Mrs.
Mckinley. though the former is In ideal
strong health, which Mrs. Mckinley has
not enjoyed for six and twenty years.
That gentle graciousness, beautiful char
ity and exquisite charm of manner, so
characteristic of Mrs. Mckinley, likewise
characterizes Mrs Bartlett.
In a few moments Miss Stone, accom-
panied by her neice, approached and
greeted Mrs. Bartlett. At once the re-
turned missionary was presented by Mrs.
Bartlett to the others present. Miss Stone
proved to be one of the most gracious,
charming and laughter-loving women
whom II has been my privilege to meet.
Each one of US told her how eager the
American people had been to ascertain
the facts concerning her detention by
the brigands. and how earnestly the SYM
pathies of all the millions of our people
had gone out to her In the time of her
distress. As she listened to these words
from her new found friends Miss Stone
seemed almost the happiest woman one
could imagine to be In the world. She
laughed with the school girls freedom,
yet with the elderly woman's dignity.
Had one not known that she was a spin
ster, one had sworn she was a happy
mother, for she has one of the most
motherly faces imaginable.
I'VE are all Southerners here about
you." Mrs. Bartlett said to Miss Stone,
and then she told of the states each one
of us represented. The Georgians. the
Kentuckians and others, Miss Stone was
informed, had felt profound interest In
her well-being. and 1t was my privilege
to bear witness to Identical sympathies
on the part of the Alabamians.
And did you all remember me so?"
asked Miss Stone. Whilst 1 was de-
tanned by the brigands 1 wondered and
wondered If all my American people had
forgotten me. 1 longed for some word
from them; some newspaper, something
from my own country. I would have re-
joiced even in the possession of the ad-
vertising pages Of an American maya
zine. Such reading matter as that would
have rejoiced me In my captivity.
And now, when am made to under
stand that the hearts of so many good
people in my own country were con-
stantly with me, I am gladder and hap
pier than you can possibly imagine any
one to be-"
And so talking on, rapidly and light
heartediy, Miss Stone entertained us for
a quarter OF an hour.
AS has been already said, you must sur
render all your preconceived ideas of
nniSS otoiic presumably. one is no more
like the pictures you have seen as pur-
porting to be her portraits than she is
like Juno. She is neither fat-faced nor
double-chinned. She is not fat at all,
though she is somewhat stout. There Ia
absolutely no sternness In any expression
of her face; she smiles all the time She
looks to be fifty; she is understood to be
a few years beyond that age But what
ever be her age or her weight aveirdu-
pois. she is really one of the sweetest
women that you will ever have the priv
ilege of meeting. / confess that 1 was
surprised to find her what she Is. What
surprised me most about her was that
most excellent thing in woman, a gentle
voice. The newspapers and magazines
had led me into the error that warps the
Judgment Of most of our people, that
Miss Stone was fat, harsh, irritable and
masculine. In fact, she is intensely femi-
nine; she virgin might have been a Ma
donna Of all the Graces. She will come to
you. Give her the Christian welcome
After all praise Is said concerning a
good man and a graceful mission, there
is something a little incongruous in an
aged Baptist preacher of the South
lightly eapering to the throne" of an
earthly king and making obeisance as
the representative Of this republic. We
all Of us have read with some degree of