Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-06-04
PROSPECT COTTAGE
The Historic Building in
Georgetown.
ITS TALENTED OWNER
BUILT By MRS. E. D. E. N. SOUTH
WORTH, THE NOVELIST.
Something About Her Works and Life
From an Old Resident Of
Washington.
ITS TALENTED OWNER

pect streets, Georgetown. upon the brow OF
a hill, which overlooks tho restless Potomac
and permits view past Arlington. far into
the valleys Of Virginia. there Is cottage,
humble, picturesque, but somewhat bat
tered by the elements which for years have
beaten at will against its unprotected walls.
When the cottage was built and for years
afterward. when 1t was occupied by its IL
lustrious owner, tho mill was far from the
din ana hustle of tho noisome city. Moth
ing save the caroling OF the birds and the
braying of the mules on the towpath below
disturbed the quietude. Now the street rail-
way has pushed its nos, to the very door OF
the cottage, and thousands upon thousands
OF passengers en- route to Cabin John bridge
OF intermediate points, are transferred from
one line to the other. within dozen yards
of this humble abode. Occasionally, when
passing the cottage. some passenger VIII
turn to his friend ana say:
This is where Mrs SouthWortn- inc al
thoreSS lived.
True enough, this was the~home OF Mrs
'Southworth, and, like many other spots III
and around Washington, has peen FAMOUS no!
as the he unit an6 habitat OF genius Inns
was Iha home Of Emma Dorothea Eliza
hewitt southworth, whose pen produced
at nyee Labor Lost" "RetributiOu, or the
Vale of Shadows self Made" and other
books of national renown. Prospect COT
tage." as she called 1t, was a much sought
rendezyous of those literary bent Of Wash
ington's culture and refinement or nan d
century ago. Here they were wont 10
gather every Friday evening Ior CONVEX.
sations" as they were called. men anu
methods were discussed and motives ana
lived, and the policy of the federal govern
ment subjected to criticism, either COM
mendable or otherwise. Mrs. Southworth
was a hostess as well as genius, anu her
-
ceeded her fame as en- entertainer; put
Mrs Southworth, being genius, mad
most eyentful history.
Daughter Of Soldier.
She was born of family Of httera-
tours ON December %, 1919. and one OF
her biographers has said 1.-THE Lord ne'er
gave to the world and to Washington
more acceptable Christmas gift" Her
father was Captain Charles B. hewitt, an
officer who won distinction in the war OF
1912. Her mother was Susannah Wales, OF
an old colonial family. When Mrs. South
worth or Eden" as she was called, De-
cause of her initials. E. D. p. N. South
worth. was five years old, her father died.
and her mother later remarked. placing
her under the care of her stepfatner'
Joshua L. Henshaw, for many years pr
yate secretary to the immortal Daniel Wep-
ster. Mr.. Henshaw was student ana
ing and teaching Of youths. He was a
scholar. when scholarship meant something
else than proficiency in foot ball. base pail
or boating, and the education of little
opportunity. Mr. Henshaw also held the
positions Of deputy marshal OF the District
of Columbia under the regime or mayor
Richard Wallach, and city tax clerk when
of the bloody and lamentable know moth
ing riots" in the Northern Liberties. He
endeared himself more dearly to his Fellow
citizens, however, by the establishment or
the first free school on the southeast cor
ner Of 14th and G streets, opposite the old
Foundry Church, on the site now occupied
by the offices of the Chesapeake and Po-
tomac Telephone Company. Because OF
this public spirited act he was known as
the father Of the public school system in
the District" although the first free school
had thorny path to travel before success
attended 1t. A writer OF that period says,
"Henshaw's school was from the hrst the
adherence Of all the self-respecting school
children of that day. We attended the
private or pay schools, and turned the
finger Of scorn upon the poor free-school
children Alas, what fools We mortals be"
1t was from this cherries beginning that
our present public school system grew, now
the pride of the national capital and the
envy of educators the world over.
Her Half-Sister, "Pinkie'' Henshaw.
But Mrs. Southworth was not the only
one to receive tuition and guidance from
Mr.. Henshaw. She had a half-slster, little
'Pinkie" Henshaw, who was also destined
to achieve some fame as a novelist, under
the name Of Mrs. Frances Henshaw Baden.
These two girls, both Of literary bent, grew
to womanhood side by side, instructed, en-
lightened an encouraged by their father and
mother. Small wonder, then that success
attended them. A biographer writes:
Il knew these two half-sisters when
Pinkie was a girl Of ten, and Eden a girl
Of twenty. To this day the memory of
Edens face. a perfect Gibson type; her SIM
plicity, her beauty, her repose and, withal,
her alert intelligence, impresses me as
Whittier's ideal dream of Maud Muller in
the harvest field Her hair was dark brown,
or black, or golden. according to the light
or shadow that fell upon 1t or the sunshine
glinted through it. Her eyes were two liv-
ing wells of varying thoughtful moods and
meaning. and deep-set in the caverns of
noble temple. they conveyed hope, comfort,
encouragement. consolation. warning, even
contentment or amusement, as her good Of
fees Seemed to be required"
Like all authors Mrs. Southworth's first
effort was returned with that discouraging
information, Unavailable for publication
The story was called August Vacations, or
Fittings to the Country" 1t was sent to
the old Baltimore Visitor" and came back
with the very next mail. A few months
later, when Mrs. Southworth's great novel,
"Retribution," was running as a serial in
the columns of the Washington National
Era, contemporaneous with the original
publication of Harriet Beecher Stoves
Uncle Toms Cabin the Baltimore wis
itor'' pleaded with her for the August Va
cations" to no avail. Every argument was
used by the chagrined Baltimore newspaper
to get the story 1t had so unceremoniously
refused few months prior, but Mrs. South
worth declined She was offered tempt
ing price for another story, but her stub
born nature stood In the way, and because
of its first action the Baltimore journal
never did get Southworth story.
Her Most Popular Work.
Doubtless her most popular work was
1.-THE Hidden Hand" which established her
fame as a novelist and dramatic writer.
The story was Immediately dramatized, and
her leading character. "CaJitol A." for
time was as famous as ''Topsy" or Uncle
Tom in Mrs Stoves novel, One success
was followed by another, until her ex-
chequer was well filled with the coin Of the
realm. 1t no longer necessary to
practice economy, and her least whim or
fad could be INDUCED. She enjoyed that
glorious privilege of being independent In
addition to her special work. she was en-
gagged by the Ledger at an annual salary
of $4,000. 1t was at this time when Pros
pect Cottage" was built, after plans by the