The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-04-28
Aged and Feeble, She Talks With
Interest of Things Of the
Past.
INTEREST IN MoNRoE's GRAVE
Largely instrumental in Having
His Body Removed to This
City.

City.
Copyright. 1907, by Gilberta S. Whit
tlc.)
On Saturday next. May 18th. Mrs.
LetitIa Tyler Semple, daughter of the
late President Tyler, celebrates her
eighty sixth birthday; and those who
visit her now in her room at the
Louise Homo. cannot fail to be struck
with the great change wrought In
| her by the last few years.
! Some time since Mrs. Semple had a
slight stroke OF paralysis. and her
articulation has become so indisttnct
that it requires the closest attention
to follow her. Her sight, too. injured
| in 1875 by an overatrain to the optic
nerve while principal Of the Eclectic
Institute. Baltimore. is now practi-
cally gone. and she Is constant SUI
fercr from some chronic disease. With
phys steal failure has como impaired
memory and clouding of the mind.
\ She will talk for an hour with q rela-
| tive or friend under an entire misap-
| prehension as to who they are, while
| her inability to recall names is
| constant source of irritation and dis
| tress.
The opening OF her door on the oc-
casion OF q recent visit to her dis
closed a pathetic figure. seated near
a radiator supporting a waiter, from
which she had just taken solitary
meal Despite circumstances, called
forth by her statement that mo ono
could conceive how she suffered in
| 1t. rs.,k. IN k1y1eD
from her chair. asking to be led to
| sofa on the opposite side of the room,
where she seated herself, drawing her
| visitor to her side. in common with
those whose faculties have weakened.
while unable to lay hold of the pres
ent or of the recent past. what her
mind has once grasped is retained,
and. going back, she talked clearly
land commercially of incidents in her
4 early career. Speaking Of Monroe's
grave in Hollywood: DO you know,
my dear she said. that 1t was
through my instrumentality that his
ashes were removed to Richmond from
New York? While staying with a
friend in the latter city I often visit
ed his burial place, when 1 was i'm
pressed with the improperly of a dis
tingulshed son of Virginia, who had
devoted his life to his State, being
allowed to lie outside of her borders.
I wrote to my brother. then we'll
known lawyer of Philadelphia. upon
the subject. who commune Gated with
Governor Wise, this correspondence
suggesting the removal OF his ro-
mains, in 1855, to their present rest
ing place"
Up to the last few years Mrs. Sem
pie made visits, getting carriage
and paying as many as seven calls In
, an afternoon. She was also punctill-
Gus in replying to letters. pressing
into service, as amenuensfs, some
! homo. while at Christmas and Easter
she directed the sending of cards to a
long list of friends.
Although nearly six years Mrs.
Semple's senior. Mrs Emily Mason is
essentially much younger than her
, self, beins in full possession OF her
faculties and kecnly interested In
, current events. Miss Mason, who was
, born October Is, 1915, lives in George
town, and her pretty home, with high
steps leading up to 1t from the pave
ment, and fragrant rose garden to the
, left, is interesting in city of at
. tractive dwellings. Hero she enter
tains her friends every afternoon Mt
II HNe-O ClOCN lttl, IcCciNIHS SiiNHI ~ Sho
garden when tho season admits, and
, | in winter about an open fire, while on
her birthday anniversaries these re-
, unions expand to receptions her Sis
, ter Mrs. Chilton,> OF Richmond, widow
, of General Robert Chiffon, Lees chief
OF staff, always going over for the
: OCCASION
+ Miss Mason Is striking in appear
/, ance, her erect figure, abundant.
snowy hair--arranged as she has
, worn it for nifty years--and her large
/, and brilliant dark eyes, distinguish
! ing her In any company. From some
| temporary indisposition she received
tho writer. on n recent visit. lying
) upon oslnge IN her drawing room.
: and as the two talked together, gave
. parenthetcal directions to u German
= maid asserting papers in u distant
. corner, Meanwhile the colored cook
: looming up IN an adjoining apart
ment, tho details OF dinner were ar
:. ranged Tho room had that air of
: ease and comfort acquired only by
!, daily use. Recent magazines lay on
J. "a centre table, books filled the re-
= cesses noar tho mantel beneath 1t an
= open fire burned, while on tho walls
\ hung portraits OF General Lee (whose
! life Miss Mason has written), with
y those of five generations of her fami-
: ly including George Masonsuf Gnnston
llIult, author OF the Bill Of Rights;