Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1918-05-14
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A TRIP TO GEORGETOWN NEAR
WASHINGTON

WASHINGTON CITY, May 6.-Many,
many years ago, when l was much
younger and when 1 enjoyed reading
Mrs. L D. H. Southworths books of fic-
ton with a keen relish, l often said TO
myself: 81 wish / could see her" 1t
so happened that l did see her in the
late seventies. l have had book inclina-
lions for long time, and have the habit
of dropping into book stores. 1 was look
ing over some books and standing near
the proprietor when he pointed out Mrs
Southworth to me- He told me she lived
in Georgetown and l took the oppor-
tunty of visiting it to look at the
southern novelist's home.
After a lapse of more than thirty
years l went this afternoon on a trolley
car, over the same route, and Mrs.
Southworth's old home is still to be seen.
/ think she and Mrs. Mary E. Bryan
were our particular southern novelistS
in the eras before the Civil war and
afterwards.
Mrs Potter Palmer was a Miss
Honore and was educated in George
town, and the newspaper this morning
brought me the tidings that she died
in Florida last night at her winter
home. She was a royal beauty in her
time and was so highly honored at home
and abroad that she will be long re-
membered.
AS president OF the board of lady
managers of the Chicago exposition she
presided with great satisfaction in
very trying place Her death appeared
to me to be untimely She was so
magnificently beautiful when l saw her
last. l have another exposition col
league living in Washington and l dined
with her last night. She and had a long
talk about our experiences at the Chi
cago exposition and spoke often of Mrs.
Palmer. To think that our membranes
of Mrs. Palmer were so vivid while
she was going into the great beyond,
even while we were talking of her,
makes me feel as II there was some
mental telepathy that 1 cannot under
stand or explain.
We two were so much older than
Mrs. Palmer, that it never occurred to
to either of us that she would be the
first to go. But such is life.
The Barnum- Baily circus is in Washing
ton right now There was a great street
parade yesterday and thousands upon
thousands were congregated on the side
walks to see it. Today, in an automo-
bile ride, saw the tremendous crowds
that were gathering for the performance
out on the road leading to Hyattsville
and to Baltimore. A circus can be re-
he'd upon to draw the multitudes. 1
also saw Billy Sundays tabernacle,
which is still in place, and in easy
walking distance of the capitol building.
Washington City is building immense
structures all the time for army uses
and perhaps Billy Sundays tabernacle
will be finally utilized for war purposes.
WHAT I HOPE TO SEE VERY SOON
While the money lasts in the United
States hope to see some philanthropist
donate considerable sum of money TO
establish a French and Belgian orphan
age in Georgia, where helpless ones
can be cared for and made comfortable
until they can be made self-sustaininS.
That would be money we'll spent, and
could not fail to bring healthy results.
However. the war issues may be set
tied it is already known that France and
Belgium will have a weary time to re-
establish their population and restore
to living shape their devastated fields
and villages. The orphans must be cared
for somehow and somewhere. Our Geor-
gia climate is very mild and compared
to the hard winters of the east and
west there are but few consecutive days
In midwinter when one cannot labor
out of doors. With plentiful factories
for cotton manufactures, these orphans
could, In a rev years, De SelI-SuSIalnlnB.
We could secure teachers that would
be able to educate these orphans. Moth
ing we might do for devastated France
and Belgium would compare to the
boundless benefits that would flow from
such a charity, and we already know
that there are scores of such needy
ones. bereft of home and parents, and
ready to starve, within hearing of cruel
German guns. The skill of French and
Belgian textile workers, in times of
peace, was unequalled and their lace
making was unrivaled. What magnifi
cent thing II would be to meke ready
such a refuge for these orphaned chill.
dren and to call to the suffering patri-
OTIS in joyful tones, Send them to us.
We will give them food, shelter. educa-
tion and loving kindness"
I wonder if my prayer will yet be an
swered?