Evening star., 1921-08-28

was a fourteen-page biography Of
Mrs. Southworth signed IT. H. Y"
This biography was no doubt vlsed
by Mrs. Southworth. but il has upon
it the touch of the publishers hand.
There was great curiosity to know
what kind of woman Mrs. South
worth was. and this biography was
evidently put out with the idea OF ap-
peasing in a measure and stimulating
in a measure that curiosity. But it
sketch which has come down to us
and has served as the groundwork
for number of papers and essays
OH Mrs. Southworth. So. let us take
a few paragraphs out of that 1863
sketch:
either side French and English Roman Catho-
lies. who in 1851 1G34D accompanied Leon
ard Calvert 10 America and helped found st.
Marys. the first settlement in Maryland. where
they became extensive landed proprietors.
Here their descendants continued tc live for
generations. holding honorable posts and
taking important parts in the government OF
the province. When the American revolution
broke out they Were among tine first to take
of Covington, Wales and Nevtte are not un-
bonored in the local annals Of the south
Emma d: +. y. Southworth WAS the eldest
Alexandria. Va. and of his second wife.
Snsannah George WALES of 81. Marys county:
Md. He was large importing merchant OF
a
France his vessels and cargoes were seized by
the French and his business thrown into in
eNtricable embarrassment During the war
of Islc-15 Capt. Nevitte served at the head Of
a company of volunteers and received wound
in the chest from which he never fully recov-
cred.
married his second wife, Susannah George
WALES. u girl Of fifteen. the only child OF a
Widowed ed mossr from ~nSm S @0sa af ths hq
they removed together TO Washington city.
where they leased Jointly the commodous
ho,:se on New Jersey avenue. long previously
occupied as residence by George Washing
ton Here in the very chamber cnce ten
anted by Gen. Washington, Emma was Born
(Tbe Star man believes that this houssS, whr ;.
was OIL North Capitol street and not oa New
Jersey avenue. had not been finished and made
ready for occupancy at the time Of Georse
known as the Hillman house and later as the
Kenmore under which name il came into much
notoriety through the Bonine tragedy. u was
torn down on the creation OF the Union Sta
tion plaza.i
She was a child of sorrow from the first
years Of her lifs Thin IN frame and ;,d da.x xsa IN
she had no scft infantile beauty to attract
love- and for the first three years Of her
life, judging from what she has since heard.
she was nothing but nm unmitRated trouble TO
her friends. But this child was gifted by
vitality that enabled her to live not only
hood. bnt also through the heary misfortunes
of her grlhoOd and womanhood
When Emma was about three years old her
sister Charlotte was born. The latter was
lovely child. with rounded FORM fair. rosy
complexion. scft blue eyes and haxen hair
that in after years became a dark bright 81
chestnut. She was happy, social. loving
nature. and naturally won all hearts around
her-parents cousins, hurses and servants
tsnSahse wnS nse upen the Fsa wifSI e inp
~ X X
father was a Catholic and
IL her mother an Episcopalian., When
Capt Nevitte came to die the last
rites of his church were admins
tered by Father Lucas of st. Peters
Church. Capitol Hill. There was an
had come with the Wales from St.
Marys county. He was 'chock-fulr'
or "choke-fulr' of ghost stories and
plantation yarns OF piracy, murder
and such. and Uncle Biggs had a won-
drous influence on little Emma. She
was so impressed with Uncle Biggs'
ghost story that she often saw the
phantom Of her father. The WALES
mon situation called "straitened cir
cumstances,' and Mrs. Wales took in
boarders at the big house. later the
Hillman house. but "as she could not
present a bill. being a lady Of the
was given up after years trial"
The biography tells of the children
going on steamboat to Blackistone's
Island and there taking a coach to
the old manor home" 1t is not ex-
planned why they did not leave the
boat at landing ON the mainland and
then take coach to go to their home.
1t would seem to be an easier and
dryer way Of going there in a coach
than to debark on an island. When
Emma was ten years old her widowed
mother remarked. merging herself
this time with J. L. HenShaw Of Bos-
ton. The family maintained their
residence In the New Jersey avenue
homo and three years later Mr.. and
school" on the FIRST floor Of the house.
Emma and Charlotte took their leE-