The Washington herald., 1906-10-21
Talk With Miss Seawell
HER TRAVELS, HER WORK,
AND HER HOME


from Russia to Mexico. assured me that
in bearing the Sevres mark, peculiar TO
( government china. as well as the i'm
perial crest and letter \. there could
be no doubt that my plates were Ma
poleon trophies.
This portrait Of Marie Antoinette. -
continued Miss Seawell, came from the
TulIeries, and that chair you have been
sitting in belonged 10 my great-uncle
President Tyler.
But my most valued possessiOn-the
one I l0ve-is the portrait above the
piano" and Miss SeawelIs clear voice
was lowered to affectionate Utterance.
The portrait in question is of Miss Hen
rietta Seawell, the sister and life com
paniol of the author. and who died two
years ago. II is a wonderful likeness, as
we'll as a valuable work of art. and was
painted by Miss Louise Laridon. Of Ant
werP.
In discussing the merits OF the por-
trait Miss SeawcI seemed unconscious
of the resemblance between the two
faces. Her own alighted with animation
as she referred TO the character of her
sister: the other looking calmly from the
frame. There is apparent the same noble
poise OF head. the same aristccratic hand
I-unsPoiled by finger rings-the same
.patrician grace that is peculiar to the gen
tle-women Of all nations.
It is to this sister that Miss Seawen
has dedicated her latest novel. ''The
Victory"
The dedication reads: ITO the dear
memory Of Henrietta" Miss Seawel
feels that she owes more In her career
to this younger sister than TO any one
else in the world. Ii was she who con-
Quoted the household and relieved Miss
SeaweH Of all the burden OF detail: wrote
and answered letters. and was the closest
companion as well as the devoted sister
Of the writer.
The recollection Of this charming girl
/ is fresh in the memory Of all who ever
saw Miss SeaweIl in her home
/ The Victory" is a story of the civil
war, in which the psychology, rather than
any incident Of the times. is portrayed,
and in which neither a Union officer is
welded to a Southern maid nor the re-
/ verse.
The library in Miss SeaweiTs home is
filled with heirlooms from Virginia: ma
/ hogany pieces oval mirrors and family
portraits. one by Peele is notably fine
The dining-roCm is hung I'm crimson silk.
+ The quaint mantle, inlaid with mirrors,
and the mahogany furniture and wood
work are in complete harmony.
And where do you do your writing?p
/ In a little hole upstairs" replied
/ Miss Seawell. and with ready courtesy
she led the way to the upper story and
/ into dainty boUdoir, which bears little
evidence Of being a workshop. This den
/ Is bright room, with an invigorating
7 yellow treatment and a glow of perpetual
sunlight upon its ornaments and photo
graphs with perceptable air of order
as well.
Those are dear friends of mine" Miss
Seawell remarked, pointing TO the framed
photographs of Modjeska and Julia Mar
/ lowe. And these, also" with laugh
These" proved to be more Ifkenesses
of the great Napoleon: several delightful
miniatures on the mantle. others upon
the wall.
And now tell me, Miss SeawelI, where
do you sit when you compose, and under
what sort of inspiration do you wOrk?'
Just here, at this table," replied the
author. the identical one at which I
have written every line that ever brought
me in penny. And what Is my inspira-
ton? Nothing in the world but an indus
tTiOus determination to set to work 1
never wait for inspiration; 1 summon Il
at 10 o'clock every morning during the
working part of the year"
Have you no eccentTicities of author
ship"
Miss Seawen rippled forth laugh and
confessed: Not one
No, indeed" she said, Il am a very
orderly person. I rise early and dress sor
the day as I did when I was little pfrl
in Virginia. 1 have never cultivated the
tea gown habit. I have been too greatly
interested and occupied with the affairs
Of hfe-my own and other people s-to
cultivate 'eceenTicities Of genius.
you ask if I live in the characters I
portray, and how I set them into story
action. I do not live their lives My
characters have way of dumping them
selves upon me-Once 1 have thought out
the plot Of a story-exactIy like a lot of
relations come upon a visit. have to do
the best that is possible for them. While
they are with me, they absorb me- and
unless / allow each character fair play.
it proves to be sawdust. l cannot ex-
plain how a story is born. You must
remember, as Amile says, The beginning
OF all things is a mystery. ="
How happy you should be over your
success. Is not fame of authorship an
altogether satisfying thing?"
Miss Seawell's face became wistful as
she quoted softly from Nine. de Stael,
Paine is the mourning woman wears
for her happiness"
Miss Seawell is approachable and
sweet-hearted- She is in close sympathy
with young writer's, and never withholds
a helpful hand TO beginners in the pro-
fession.
That is only natural to any one who
has gone a little way ahead upon the
literary road" she explained. Aside
from the pleasure of it. / have a supersti-
ton that if 1 fail to help any one l might,
something dreadful Will Immediately be-
fall me-"