Evening star., 1942-04-12
BY John Clagett Proctor.

Dy JOllIl Sld6C1t AAOSV0As
Another historic landmark has recent
" been removed, and this time the
wrecker has destroyed the old South
worth cottage in Georgetown, which was
occupied for many years by the noted
authoress, Mrs. Emma D. E. N. South
worth. Here she died In the summer OF
1899 and was buried In Oak Hill Gene
terry, where many noted dead repose
awaiting the sounding of the last trrm-
pet.
Mrs. Southworth was distinguished
novelist, and 1t is greatly to her credit
that she was native of the District OF
Columbia, having been born In this city
in 1919 Like so many successful peo-
pie, Mrs. Southworth's early life was
filled with many clouds and little SUM-
shine, and it was hard work and sheer
determination that finally made her one
! of the foremost writer's of her day.
Her father, Capt. Charles LIE Compte
Nevitte Qater spelled "Nevitt'), was Of
French descent and her mother, the
second wife Of Capt. hewitt, was susan
nah George WALES from st. Marys
County, Md. When married, he was
45 she was Is. The captain was devout
Roman Catholic while Mrs. hewitt was
fervent Episcopalian, but like Roger
Brooke Taney and his wife and thou
sands of others, there was never any
religious discord between them.
From this union there were two
daughters, of which Mrs. Southworth
was the elder and Charlotte the younger.
Her father, we are told by DR.. Sarah M.
Huddleson, was an extensive importer,
a merchant in Alexandria, Va; an owner
of fleet of ships-and this about the
time Gen. washington was flrst PreSi-
dent of the United States. 80
Uncle Sans international early trou-
bles with France and later with Eng
land cost Capt. Nevitt his fleet of ships,
and his fortune thereby went into EN-
barrassing ENHANCEMENT He did not let
the state of his finances dim his pa
triotism. He led company Of troops IN
the War of 1912, and received chest
wound which caused unremittent suffer-
ing and was the ultimate cause OF his
death a dozen years later"
A Child of Sorrow.
Mrs. Southworth was only about five
years of age when her father died, ana
then life's clouds began to increase, Tor,
according to her own words: I was
child of sorrow from the very first year
of my life. Thin and dark, I had no
beauty except a pair of large, wild eyes
but even these were destined to be tar
nished. At II months I was attacked
by an Inflammation OF the eyes that
ended in total blindness-though happily
temporarily. Thus it was, my first view
of life was through a dim, mysterious
cathedral light in which every object in
the world looked larger, vaguer. more
distant and more imposing than 1t really
was.
Among the friends around me, the
imposing form and sympathetic face OF
my dear grandmother made the deepest
impression.
"At years of age my sight began to
clear. And about this time my only
sister was born"
Continuing, the authoreSS Tells US tnat
from her 9th to her 10th year she grew
more lonely and more retired. But at 81
years of age Dan Cupid came into her
life, and we find in the National Intelli-
gencer of January 80, 1910, the following
announcement: "On Thursday, the 23d
instant, by the Rev. D. Hawley, Mr.. F,
Hamilton Southworth of st. Louis, Mo.
to Miss Emma D. N. hewitt of this CITY, >
However, this Dan Cupid proved
tickle one, and left her few years later
as she says: Broken in spirit, health and
purse-a widow by fate but not by fact
with my two babies looking up to me
for the support could not give"
Mrs. southworth's mother, the widow
hewitt, remarked, her second husband
being the well-known public schoo
teacher Of bygone days, Joshua L. Hen
shaw, who taught school at Fourteenth
and G streets, where now stands thu
Hamilton National Bank Building. Herr
was originally the White House stable
erected during the administration o
John Adams, but generally referred Il
as the Jefferson Stable School. Mr.. Hen