Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-07-19
MUCH PHYSICAL VITALIT'
Shows Great Interest in the CONVEX

Shows Great Interest in the CONVEX
sion of Chinese Empress Dowager
to Christian Science.
BY WILLIAM E. CURTIS.
Special Correspondence of The Star and the Chicago
Record Herald.
CONCORD, N. H, July A. 1907.
There was no difficulty in securing an
interview with Mrs. Eddy. AS soon as Mr..
Meehan, editor of the Concord Patriot who
used to edit a paper at Joplin, Mo- notified
her household, l received an invita- ton to
call al Pleasant View at clock, and he
went with me. There were no mysteries,
restrictions, conditions or agreements
whatever, except that the lady who showed
me to Mrs. Eddy's study begged me not to
stay too long, because a woman of her
great age was very easily tired.
AS we entered her study Mrs. Eddy arose
from an easy chair in which she had been
sitting beside a desk covered with corre-
spondence and books, and gave me a hearty
greeting. Her hand is thin and almost
transparent. 1t reminded me of the hand
of the late Leo XIII. The veins stand out
boldly, making a mysterious map of blue
lines. She was dressed simply in a white
shirt waist, trimmed with a good deal of
lace and black skirt. A gauze scarf was
thrown over her shoulders and brooch
of diamonds with delicate settings In the
shape of a coronet was fastened at her
neck. Her hair is abundant and perfectly
white and is dressed low on her forehead
with graceful waves. Her face is pale
almost colorless, but her eyes are full.
clear apd bright. Her grasp is quite strong
and indicates considerable physical vitality
Indeed, l have never seen woman eighty
six years of age with greater physical or
mental vgor.
LAS we stood for few moments exchang-
ing greetings my companion slipped his
hand under her arm. She drew away i'm
patiently, inquiring, Why do you take hold
of my arm?' ITO support YOU" was the
reply. Il need no support said Mrs. Eddy,
rather independently; but 1 think it is
better that we all sit down.
She indicated a chair beside her table
for me and another for my friend and
resumed her seat in large easy chair
upholstered in red velvet, which she had
been occupying before we came into the
room. l watched her very closely-every
motion that she made, because her physi-
cal and mental condition is now the subject
of litigation, but during the interview,
which lasted about twenty minutes, 1 did
not see the slightest sign of the "senile
debility mental inf1rmity" or physical
incapa city" which has been alleged as the
basis of a suit to deprive her Of the care
of her property.
Alteration in the Chinese Empress.
The chief topic of conversation was the
remarkable change in the personal dispo-
sition and the political policy Of the empress
dowager of China. which Is said to have
been brought about by the application of
Christian Science by Mrs. Conger, wife of
our late minister to Picking. In 1904, in a
letter from China. / described the extraor-
binary transformation which has taken
place since the Boxer troubles in that most
remarkable no
merly a Jezebel. but is now a Deborah
She has not only become one Of the gentlest
most considerate and amiable of women,
but has voluntarily offered to relnquish the
autocratic power possessed by the sovereign
of China and has appointed a commission
to draw up a constitution with universal
suffrage, so that her people may hereafter
select their own rulers and make their own
laws.
How this change came about is a mys-
terry, but at Picking it is explained in only
one way. and Mrs Eddy saw and read the
letter l wrote In which the credit was given
to Christian Science. Very naturally she
was interested to know more about the sub
ject and she asked many questions as to
the source of my information and concern
ing Mrs. Conger's part in the matter. She
said that Mrs. Conger had never made a
report and that she CMrs. Eddy knew moth
ing more than had been printed in my let
ter although the letter had been republished
in all the Christian Science journals and in
l explained that Mrs. Conger took no
credit to herself; that she considered her
self only an humble agent and attributed
the influence she had exerted to the in
visible powers represented by the Christian
Science faith. Mrs. Eddy declared that she
had not the slightest doubt of the truth Of
the report, and considered the conversion
Of the empress and t. q radical change in
the policy of her administration as the
greatest triumph Christian Science had
achieved.
We spoke of other subjects, but her legal
troubles and the attacks which have been
made upon her in the magazines and news
papers were not alluded to- l was told that
she has never seen and is not aware of the
recent series of magazine articles reviewing
her career. She reads one or two news
papers every day, but is protected from all
annoyances. anxieties and fatigue so that
her strength may not be impaired and her
life may be prolonged much as possible
One of her attendants explained to me that
the magazine raid was prompted by re-
the author to obtain from Mrs. Eddy per-
sonally the material for an article she de-
sired to write.
Mental and Physical Condition.
She knows everything that is going on in
connection with the litigation now being
conducted by ex-senator William E. Chand-
Ter in behalf Of her son, and holds frequent
consultations about her affairs with her