The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-04-17

10 tho great surprise OF her audi
tors. the vcxed question of making
Monticello, the homo OF Thomas Jeffer-
son. the property Of the government
was brought up by Mrs. Martin w. Lit
Teton, OF New York, ut the first ses-
sion OF the League OF Southern Women
Writers at the Woman's Club ycster-
day.
Mrs. Littleton was on the program
for Il short talk on Thomas Jefferson.
the man. and 1t was understood that
the delicate ground of tho Monticello
bequest would not be touched upon.
Mrs. Littleton, however. soon left the
straight and narrow path of history and
began dissertation upon the rights of
Jefferson NJ. Levy, the present owner
OF tho Jefferson mansion. She said
that she was educated at the Mary
baldwin Seminary. In Stanton, and
that 1t was from the hills and noun
tains OF this State that she had abb
sorbed this great love and reverence
for the man Jefferson and his home at
the University of Virginia. The move
ment TO make Monticello the property
OF the government WINS started by Mrs.
Littleton. Going to Washington wat
her husband. who had been elected TO
Congress from New York, she was
astonished TO find that there existed no
monument to Jefferson, no shrine at
which the nation might pay tribute.
Did Not Conclude Speech.
Levy's will. which was brought to
Washington and Congress in 1862 by
the executors and declared null and
void by the Supreme Court of New
YORK. Mrs. Littleton paused and said
She presumed that she had better not
go on. since she had been invited to
Richmond to talk on the subject of
Thomas Jefferson
Mrs Kate Langley Bosher at once
arose and In very courteous manner
n fttn lfn 10
meDt about Urah Lcvys will and the
attitude OF the United States govern
nent and the State of Virginia touvard
the bequest at that time.
Mrs Littleson said she had come to
feel II the consuming desire OF hea' life
10 preserve tho home Of jefferson from
vandalism: that she believed the United
States is deprived of its rights, and
that this famous mansion IS unmaTk e. Il
and given over to commercialism is a
saying that perhaps che had better
not talk longer. Immediately there
was a motion to adjourn. which, was
adopted. There was no applause.
Address OF welcome.
Mrs. Bosher called the meeting. of
Southern women writer's to order yes
terday morning n few minutes afser
10 o'clock and presented Mrs. ]. Ar
thur LEROY, president OF the Woman's
Club, who delivered the address OF
welcome. Her address was short and
carried the idea that one chooses au-
thors as one chooses friends, and what
happy solution OF friendship this
association OF women writer's would
come to mean in n very few years.
these women, whom the South has de =
lighted To honor and whose names are
known, many OF them, throughout the
land
Mrs. Lucien H. Cooke, who spoke for
g. hnF of xfr.ta
guests from many States. made a fas-
cinating address. She said that no one
could feel like a stranger in this an
Gent Commonwealth, since the kim
ship OF all southern people is traced
in the threadbare legend OF tho three
brothers who landed IN this country.
one. OF course. choosing Virginia. while
the other two touched at the next best
convenient point. 1t is not n visit that
these women are making and tho peo-
pic OF Virginia are not re-
ceiving them, only making room
real gathering of the family conclnvc
70 discuss its strength and weakness.
The keynote OF Mrs. Cookies address
was that the women writer's OF the
South hold high the standards OF pure
writing in literature and float Its ban
nor to the breeze with a right good
Will.
Urged to Cooperate.
Mrs. Rutledgc Smith, of Tennessee,
then presided over the meeting and
In a very gracious speech extended her
thanks on behalf OF the league to Rich
mond and to the Woman's Club for
their courtesy. She paid tribute to the
history Of the state and begged that
the women OF Virginia co cooperate with
this organization in Its fight against
the enemy-illite racy-fo which cdu-
cation and enlightenment must be the
watchword land that has given
so many statesmen and makers of his
tory in times gone by, must have sons
and daughters in whose veins the same
strain OF genius still exists. only