Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-06-25
A Few Known Facts.

Some Of the things that the world grad
ually has come to know of Miss Martus
and her island home are these:
That she is an expert landscape gar
dener and has converted what was little
more than marsh land into veritable
flower garden.
That she is skilled at making picture
frames, upon which she carves wonder
full pictures with an ordinary penknife.
That she is fearless, as was shown by
her saving the lives of three men who
were capsized in the river.
Around these known qualities and
traits of her character is woven a web
of romantic stories, some of which do
not agree, but all of which have been
often related is that which would eX-
plain the mystery of her waving at every
passing ship.
According to this legend Miss Martus
away to sea. Nothing was ever heard
from him. In the hope that he will yet
| return and recognize her. Miss MartuS
waves at every ship. the account goes.
Another story is that when she was a
child her father took her to Savannah.
| where she contracted a cold that re-
suited in her losing both her speech and
hearing. This atfiiction continued. it is
| said, until the Charleston earthquake,
when as a result, both suddenly We're
restored to their normal condition.
Hurricane Swept Island.
There are other stories. which give a
more realistic picture of the woman. and
which may be verified. One of these
deals with the West Indian hurricane
which struck Ella Island in 1893. while
Miss Martus, her mother, father and
brother We're residing there. AS an ex-
ample of the force of the storm, barge
drawing eighteen feet of water was
washed over the island and deposited
four miles away. None of the Martus
family was injured. The hurricane had
scarcely abated before they set to work
repairing the damage. To guard against
similar occurrence In the future a
double embankment was built about the
house. Miss Martus worked with her
brother and father. and took as active
part as they in making the repairs.
[ At the time Miss Martus saved three
men from drowning she was on the
island alone. She quickly launched q
boat and rowed to the men, barely In
| time to rescue them.
Brother Lightkeeper.
Miss Martus' father. who was SER
geant in the civil war, and lightkeeper
at Fort Pulaski. on the Savannah river
Gied several years ago. while her mother
i OloU last year her CUly Icldllt0 10 HcI
brother, George Martus, who resides or
the island with her, and Is the keeper
| of several lights at nearby points on the
river.
Directly across the river from the Mar
| tus residence is q building practically
/ its duplicate, but which affords the great
est contest. In the case of the latter
| there has been no attempt to beautify
the place with flowers and in no way does
| it possess the attractiveness of the Mar
tus home, which is modernly equipped
and furnished.
| Former Secretary Straus of the Depart
ment of Commerce and Labor visited the
home Of the River Queen" shortly before
| going out of Office and declared that II
was one of the most interesting places he
| had ever seen. Since then tourists gener
ally have expressed desire to see it, and
| invariably they are on the lookout for j
as they pass up or down the river.
| Miss Martus is an excellent housekeepel
and always extends the hospitality OF
| her home to the few persons who visi
the island. She has never offered ar
explanation, however. of why she waves
| at every ship, whether they pass during
the day or night, and those who know
1 her best say she never will.