Evening Star Newspaper, August 28, 1921, Page 53

= = : THE SUNDAY STAR, WASHINGTON, D, C, AUGUST 28, -1921—PART 4.‘ : S - B R s. Southworth, Favorite Novelist in Grandmother’s 'Day | Mrs. Stowe, of course. recounted hersons there, but after school hours. written, but are decidedly out of fash- PLMN frame cot stands at the corner of 36th street and_Prospect avenue, George- town. The house faces north on a dusty and busy street. while a garden oncé kept with care and plant- ed with roses and many other bloom- ing plants embraces it on the three other sides. ‘In the garden paper mul- berry trees have sent up many shoots, some familiar weeds make their home there and the dust of the streets gives the once green lawn a hue of ashen gray. The view from the garden sweeps the river for a considerable way up and down, takes in deep vis- tas of the Virginia hills and includes a great number of the works of man, such as bridges, buildings of other forms, many roads and the canal. The house has a seedy look, but it has passed through many trials and it would be asking too much of any old house to seem gay and prim after vears of unhappiness and neglect. But now the house has come upon fairer days. It i5 in the ownership of one who knows its worth and who reveres the memory of the remarkable woman who made this house historic. The present owner paid out money to save this house from the sad fate which falls to most old houses and to all other things which grow old and out of date. Because she believes is one of Ameri literary and that it ought to be kept & mark in American letters. The wo n who bought this historic place that might be presery, ked her victio her own money and is far from being what the world ealls b 5 was a degree of literary nthu m, or literary ntiment, or patriotism which S quite rare. It most often happens that when one be- comes charged with enthusiasm for the saving of a shrine that person seeks out somebody else to do_ the hardest and most practical part of the alvation work. The little frame cottage was the home and workshop of Mrs. South- worth for more than half a century. it _is commonly called “The South- worth Cottage™ nd nearly everybody in town know by that name. Very many of the newcomers in Washing- ton do not ‘know who Mrs. South- worth was and tens of thousands of native Washingtonians of the young and middle aged sets know no more ion now. and the very names might prejudice many modern people against the books. The stories, full of incident. and wjth those loni de: scriptions of scene, place and persons which the ancient masters of fiction, as well as other writers, employed, flow along in an easy, well written way. Mrs. Southworth wrote well and iher literary workmanship would prob- ably be thought excellent by many persons now. Dear young people, the world did not begin when you were born a few years ago. All was not a vold be- fore you came. There were educated people and people of good judgment and good taste in the olden time. Those who were educated were as soundly learned as well educated men and women now. There were not so many persons who had been to school and college as there are now, and there were not so many ignoramuses who know a little bit about a great many things, and know it wrong. Though mechanics have made match- less progress within the past two gen- erations of men. it must occur to you that in the days before wireless teleg- raphy, wireless telephony, automo- biles, airplanes and the like some very good books were written, some very good pictures painted, some very fair statues carved and some rather acceptable music composed, and that men knew quite as much about the science or art of government and as much about human nature as they know now. They did not words_ “economics. : ffi- flip- pantly and as as you do now. but 'y a very under: i th things to which you have given those nam; as long as Mrs. South | worth had a vast audience of con servative readers in the United States, the British Isles and France, you will | probably concede that there must have been some merit in her novels You may find them dull. You might also reflect that you consider Shakespeare a good deal of a bore: that you never read a line of Thack- eray or Dickens; that you are not on |speaking terms with Walter Scott; that Victor Hugo does not “appeal’ to you; that you “positively detest” anything called classic, but adore anything called ‘“classy”: that you ‘can see no tune” in Beethoven or Wagnér, but you can shimmy and toddle more ostentatiously than any old-time can-can dancer when a bunch of youths with pl Bottom, aged 34 years; Lelola wife of ooker, died January 3. 1867, aged 36 yea ‘W. P. Johpston: M. D., 1811-1876; Mary E. Johnston, wife of W. P. Johnston, 1815-1887; M. W. Galt, 1821-1898; Mary Janc, wife of M. W. Galt, 1827-1892; Martha W. Sanger, 1813-1877; W. P. Sanger, civil engineer, U. S. Navy, 1816-150; ' Lucy M. Cooper, 1836-1909; Elsie French Chew, beloved daughter of Rebert and Elisabeth Chew, died July 8, 1862, in her 17th year; Helen Margaretta Smith, beloved daughter of Covington | Smith, 1816-1861; Louisa B. Smith, 1818-1899. The story of the death of Mrs. Southworth was published in The Star Saturday, July 1, 1899. In The Star’'s sketch of this able woman are certain statements in conflict with a biographical sketch included in one of her books, and no doubt autho ized by her, but these discrepencies re not serious. Following is a part of The Star's story of Mrs. South- worth's passing: | Mrs. Emma_Dorothy Eliza Nevitte | outhworth, the celebrated novelist, !who for some time past has been isinking, died last evening at 8:30 Yo'clock at her residence, 36th and| Prospect avenue. Her death had been expected at each succeeding hourl during the day. her condition becom- ing much worse ecarly yesterday morning. She fought the battle long, |her wonderful vitality keeping her up, but after battling for many hours the thread of life was severed so peacefully and quietly that those sur- rounding the bedside were hardly aware of it. Death was caused by no special disease. The life of the au- thoress had been active for many years, much longer than is ordinarily allotted to human beings. Old age crept_on slowly but surely, clogged the delicate mechanism, continuing jits work until it gained a victory in ideath, but its progress was so quiet tas to be painless. “Being in failing health for several s Mrs. Southworth was able to be +about, but was not able to do her ac- lcustomed amount of literary work. Her fatal illness dates back to the appearance of the warm weather this season. The heat had a disastrous effect upon her and caused her to take to her bed from which she never arose. Several days ago it was seen that her life could not be saved and that death was only a question of a short time. She became totally un- conse us yvesterday afternoon and aj few minutes after 3 o'clock the mark of death appeared. Yet the spark of life continued to glow. feebly. Faint- Iy and slowly the respiration came, 80 faintly that it could hardl NE of Waphington's Really Great Writers—The Little; Frame Cottage inl Georgetovf‘vn—Her Career as a Teacher in the Public Schools of the District. Little Recompénse for Popular Stories——Her Friendship With {Harriet Beecher Stowe—How Uncle Tom's Cabin Came to Be Written. : Waq tramsferred to the fourth or South Wash. ington district. Here on the organfation of ditional primary schools she chose one of em aud acceptably served for a mumber of yeapx. There dre quite a number of citizens wio Tave pleasant recollections of her eff 1o start them in the rudiments of education. t., Robley D. Evans, it is believed, wan #Bong ber pup Her first Literary efforts appeared in a called the Baltimore Visitor. Its e Dr. Suodgrass, whose anti-siavery s reddered lim ' extremely unpopular the people of Baltimore and he was finally obliged to. sell out to Dr. Bailey, the proprietor of the National Era of this city, the paper in which Srst appeared ““Uncle ‘Tom's Cabin.” This change took place after Mrs. Southworth had begun a story called “‘Retribution,” which Was the first serial ever published in thi €ountry. As the authoress stated. she had intentlon of starting a serial. it was her intention to complete the sketch in one num-| ber, but she found that to be impossibl he wrote a second and then a third and a f. aud by that time she found that she could no finish it In ten numbers. Thus it was th & lengthy story was evol ginn years later the story § Brothers. Thix xtory {four days. On ton ux & writer. Strange as it story was written for “the u ing and itx publ geurs buger (1840) wh oo during tie day and Tow b linat s, ST ~ & writer | e a lard task it wax then tha Turnish further contribations ceived pay. Her services to the paper were too valuable to be dispensed with. Continuing to rite for the National Henry Peterson ppblisher of the Philadelphia Saturday E; ing Post. engaged Mre. Southworth te for his paper. and its circulation rapidly i creased. the increaxe being ascribed in large part to the popularity of Mrs. Southworth's stories. perience as a teacher and her ob- |even at recess, little Emma, the hero- | servations. Both women held strong anti-slavery views. Mrs. Stowe told Mrs. Southworth. About this time Dr. Gamaliel Bailey, publisher of the National Era of Washington, called at the cottage to ask Mrs. Southworth to write some- thing appropriate for his forthcoming Christmas number. She introduced Dr. Bailey and Harriet Beecher Stowe and suggested to Mrs. Stowe that she write the story she had but lately told and submit it to Dr. Bailey. This was agreed to and Mrs. Stowe soon after handed to the editor of the National Era a short story entitled “Life Among the Lowly.” Dr. Bailey thought very well of it, and it called forth many favorable comments di- rectly after appearing in print. Both Dr. Bailey and Mrs. Southworth urged Mrs. Stowe to continue the story. The latter was leaving for home, but agreed to send to Dr. Bailey another chapter. This was followed by an- other, and another, and thus that s hich was called Tom’s Cabin,” a book which had a markable effect on public opinion in the United States. * k Xk % RUC e == getting a little ahead of our story. In The Star of Monday, July 3, one may read a brief account of the funeral of Mrs. South- worth. The ceremonies were con- ducted by Rev. F. C. Bratenahl, “rector of St. Alban’s Church.” There a brief service at the cottage, friend around the oom. The Hampden Porter, S. Thoma ewis, W._ Catesby ! Clark” and Corneli 2R group of friends wi at the ve and ther reording to The Star’ count, the casket was mjght look upon the face of the mous woman ‘The Haunted House” was pub. in 1869. It contained this note of ication” to Mrs, Ellen H. Bar- My dearest Elien: In memory of the Bride's Ghost that so troubled our Christmas and New Year's festivi- ties at Prospect Coltage three years since, and that we afterwards saw ‘exorcised’ in the presence of some It is told in this old Star story that|hundred persons in the city last when Robert Bonner came_into pos- | spring, I beg to inscribe to you with session of the New York Ledger he|my sincere esteem and affection this turned it into a family paper and of- fered Mrs. Southworth double the sum she was receiving from the Philadel- phia paper. This munificent pay was | $£10 a column, and Mra. Southworth wrote four columns a week. The stories were later put in book form. The Southworth stories ran for-thirty years in the New York Ledger, and it was customary to republish one of them as a book each vear. It is said of the working habits of Mrs. South- worth that she epent the time be tween noon and midnight. except for the dinner Lour. in her library, whicl was the room in the northeast corne of the little frame cottage. Her work | werc Monday and the following and_Sunda - laid her book ting ma- terials aside and pa; > time with her friends who gathered at the cot- volume of nouvellettes. N. Southworth." Printed with “The Haunted House" a certain story which deeply touched | mma D. r.l e of this biography, hied herself” to the attic to pore over books of wild adventure, The Star man thinks she read Scott and got much of her inspiration from those great books. At the Christmas and midsummer va- cations little Emma and her sister visited the old St. Marys county home., though there is no information as to where it was in that county, and whiled their time away “among the haunts of ancestral spirits.” When Emma was twenty-one she became the wife of Frederick H. Southworth of Utica, N. Y. They lived together about three years, but nothing is said about the reason for their separation. Mr. Southworth deserted her. Years after when Mrs. Southworth wa established in her fame and in her Georgetown home a man called at the cottage. It was afternoon. The stranger was Mr. Southworth. On being told who the caller was, Mrs. Southworth met him and said very coolly. “I am quite busy now, but if you will call this evening I will have time to see you.” That evening while Mrs. Southworth was entertaining a number of friends the truant husband called. He was admitted to the north- east room, where Mrs. Southworth and her friends were seated. Mrs. Southworth arose and said to the man: “Sir, when I needed your help and protection you abandoned me and our children. 1 bid you good evening, sir.” That story comes down from an old friend of the lady. The biographer says: “Let us pass in si lence over the days of Emma's mar- jage and come at once to the period when, three years after, Mrs. Sough- worth found hersclf broken in health, spirits and fortune, a widow in fate. own, William V. | though not in fact, with two babies {looking up to her for the support i could not give them ster Char Iotte had gone to live with an uncle. | Capt. J. B. Nevitte, in Mississippi. Her opened that all | mother and stcpfather were busy with the select private school and, says “T. Y. H. “after about fifteen months of suffering Mrs. Southworth was glad to obtain through the in- terest of the late Rev. Willlam Mat- thews and others an huble post as assistant teacher in the public school of the fourth district of Washington, where she continued at a small and insufficient salary for about three years. It was in these dark days of the woman's life that the author's life began Mrs. Southworth taught in a frame school building which was superseded by the present Jefferson School building. After retiring fron: the public schools she opened a smal’ discerned. Totally oblivious M E. D. E. N. SOLTHWORT sl v called “The Hi |»\'erymln¢ she calmly alept on ana| ____ MHS ¥ D. B N SOVTHWORTH. Ty G SRS at 8:30 o'clock she breathed her last. g . Yers were pub- All members of the family, who had | borgian belief. and the funeral exer- | mother's illness. She came on at once | Sog & MUTber SR R R Leen constantly in attendance at her | cises will be conducted by the Rev.|ind had remaind in attendance everlyigiteqa that country in bedside during her illness, were pres-|Dr. Frank Sewall, pastor of the New [si D: mond J. Southworth | with the publicati ent at the last moment. Church. The service will be held in|was untiring in his attendance upon |works, and while there was the guest ‘All_the members '0f the household. | the chapel at Oak Hill cemetery. at mother, and Mrs. Blanche Porter | 0t ady Byron after the gerrible strain that had been | which place the interment will be | Southworth, ife, was as solici- | O One of the many stories that cluster upon them. were nearly prastrated.!made. The pallbearers will be per- |tous for the comfori of the distin-|apout the historic cottage at 36th The son. Dr. SoutBworth, who had!sonal frlends of the dead woman,|guished patient as could be street _and Prospect avenue constantiy attended his mother dur-|some of her schoolmates and others in | ~ Following is a brief sketch of Mrs. | the writing of “Uncle Tom's Cabin ing her illness, been without, whom she took a great pride during |Southworth compiled in The Star of- | hegun there. The Rambler has sleep for nearly te- entire weck. and ‘life. The sclection was made in def- |fice when the news was given out|from Dr. Sarah M. Huddleson, owner during that time had scarcely tasted ' erence to the memory of the demused.ilhal ghe was dying: 2 |of the cottage, a collector of South- a morsel of food. A telegram was sent | The pallbearers will be Dr. Hampden 1% st "editions, relics of the PROSPECT COTTAGE AS IT IS TODAY. to Yonkers, N. Y., for James Valentine | Porter, 1434 Q street; Mr. S. Thomas * % o x worthiaratiaditionsiiralics Lo tiithe Lawrence, 'jr. ‘a nephew of Mrs.|Brown, Mr. Catesby Burroughs, Mr.|\[KS. EMMA D. E NEVITTE S0UTH- T T R il e T e Southworth. who arrived about 5iClarke, Mr. Lewis and Mr. John T.|“'L WORTH.was in many respects a re-{She had the account of the beginning o'clock in the afterpoon. He will re- | Wood. SaRvkabic viom an be) wa st hornl Tanud) {of Uncle ;Tom's Cabin from Mrs. Hunt. g Y 2% Widow of Gov. Haunt of Colorado and | was a fourteen-page biography of | school 1n a building at the corner of Southworth signed “T. H. ¥Y.”!13th and ¢ streets southwest, still biography w no doubt vised |standing, and now used as a barber IN 1890, (Photo loaned by the Columbin Historical Soclety.) e e e W L e e e PROSPECT COTTAGE, MRS. SOUTHWORTH’S HOME, AS IT LOOKED |main in the city until after the obse: ‘Only two of Mrs. Southworth's about Mrs. Southworth than that she was “some sort of a writer.” Some of these youngsters will say, “She was an authoress.” Some will know enough about her to say “Ol she wrote novels—the Kkind that were read when grandma was a girl and when grandpa was a youth and had his thoughts all bent on courtin’—or something of that sort, don’t you know.” And, thenm, the person Who has emitted this mass of information will probably laugh in a superior or patronizing way as though old au- thors could not be of much account anyway and that we have made such great strides in art and literature that it seems funny to speak of novels of the 408, the 50, the 60s, the 708 and the | 80s in comparison with the magnifi- cent hwksv that roll off printing presses as fast as unclean water pours through sewers, and which up- to-date. books contain a wealth of matter so charming and interesting to read that it could not very well be spoken in mixed company even in these days of knee dresses, demi- walsts and great conversational “free- dom,” which some persons might translate as conversational laxity. 1t is likely that only old Washing- tonians have any senSe of apprecia- tion of the work ~Mrs. Southworth did, They will tell you that in the early 40s this Washington school teacher, distressingly poor and un- fortunate, became one of the popular writers of the United States, and that herpopularity extended to England and France. Her fame increased through the 50s, and in the 60s and the 70s she was perhaps read by more people than any other American writer, Her fame held well through the 80, and let us say even into the 90s. In the 808 and 90s_other writers began to crowd upon the literary stage, and Mrs. Southwortl's place in romantic fiction was not so prominent as it had been. Taste in_reading was undergoing a change. Newspapers of the deepest shade of yellow were floating their banners. which to old fashioned peo- ple looked like the flags that floated over quarantine stations and pest houses. Many forms of literature took on a jaundiced look and many publish- ing houses ran up the smallpox flag. Men and women demanded ‘“literature” that made them drunk. They wanted to read cocktails as well as drink them. Even this kind of literature did not have a high enough alcoholic or inflammatory content. They asked the bartender and barmaid authors to serve up literary intoxicants raw and straight. They asked that no sugar, grenadine or water be added. The romances were scorned 'm! Y. “ingipid,” “maudlin,” “sexless” and all that. Readers began to say that even ‘suggestiveness” ‘was too simple and childlike. They de- manded bald, bold statements in print which a few years before would have sounded pretty rough on the stage of the old Canterbury or the Theater Comique. Empty-pated men and silly women called this license “realism.” ‘There was nothing new in it. Human emotions, human desires and human passions were pretty well known in the days of Chaldea,, Babylon, As- syria, Phoenicla, Carthage, Greece, Rome, Gaul, Britain and the United tates, but there was some novelty n the idea of buying books about these well known matters, spreading them out on the parlor table and en- couraging girls i the gumdrop and licorice stick age and youths not yet comfortable In long pants to yawp about the splendid realism of the au- thor of “How Mildred Remained True to Harold hen Her Husband Was Out of Town.” Xk ok DURING the deluge of ‘“realism™ Mrs. Southworth's vogue declined, but the older generation, or the plder renerations, remained faithful to her and her books sold well. Mrs. South- worth had furnished much entertain- ment for young and old people for more than fifty years, but there came a time when age forced her to restrict her output. At least two of her nov- els were published after her death, and during her life and after its close many of her stories were republished, and ‘there were numerous “new edi- titles .of Mrs: South- worth’s books were agreeable with public taste at the time they were who ought to be shucking corn or laying brick, begin to toot on horns, crash on cymbals and triangles, kick a drum and call it jazz. Why. my giris and boys, you go to the movies and snicker and giggle at jokes that were worn-out gags before Artemus Ward, Josh Billingé and Bill Nye were born. In the Library of Congress are the following novels and other stories which were written by Mrs. E. D. E. N. Southworth and published in book form, and they are nearly all large ““Allworth Abbey.” published at Phil delphia in 1865; “The Artist's Love. 1872; “Brandon Coyle’s Wife,” a sequel 1o “A Skeleton in a Closet,” 1893 { Bridal Eve; or, Rose Elmer," Bride of Liewellyn,” 1866; Fate,” a sequel to “The Changed Bride,” 1869; “The Broken Engagement: Speaking the Truth for a Day, “Broken Pledges, a_Story of Noir et Blanc,” 1891: “The Changed Bride; or, Winning Her Way.” 1869; “The Christ- mas Guest.” a collection of stories by Mrs. Emma D. E. N. Southworth and her ‘sister, Mrs. Frances Hensha den, 1870; “Cruel as the Grave,’ “The Curse of Clifton,” a tale of expia- tion and redemption, 1853; “David Lind- say.” a sequel to “Gloria.” 1891 Discarded Daughter: or. The C {of the Isle.” 1875; “E: Husband,” 1892; the Man_ Hater. ; or. The Mountain Girl's Love.” 1868; ““The Family Doom; or. The Sin of a Countess,” 1869: “The Fatal Ma | riage,” 1863; tal Secret,” 187 | “Hickory Hall; or, The Outcast,”” a ro- Imance of the Blue Ridge, 186! {He Won Her,” a sequel to “Fair Play,” “India, the Pearl of Pearl River,” 56; “Ishmael; or, In the Depths,” 1904. “The Lady of the Isle,” 1859; “A ‘Leap in the Dark.” 1890; “The Mys- terious Marriage, to * ap in the Dark’ o “The Unloved Wife,” 1881; “Little Nea's Engagement,” a sequel to earest and Deares “The Lost Heir of Linlithgow.” 1872; “The Lost Heiress,” 1876; “Love's Labor Won,” 1862; 'he Maiden Widow,” 1888; “The Missing Bride; or, Miriam the Avenger." 1835; “The’ Mother-in " 1860 Nearest and Dearest.” 1889; Lord,” the sequel to “The Lost Heir of Linlithgow,” 1872; “Old Neighbor- hoods and New Settlements; or, Chri mas Evening Legends.” 1853; “The Wife's Victory” and other novel- 1854; *“The Prince of Dar] a romance of the Blue Ridge,’ “The Red Hill Tragedy.” 1877; ‘The Rejected Bride,” 1894; “Retribu- on; or, The Vale of Shadows,” 184 ‘Retribution, a Tale of Passion,” 1556 ‘Self-Raised; or, from the Depths. “A Skeleton in a Closet,” “Sybil _Brotherton, 1879; “The Test of Love,” 1907; “*“Tried for Her Life.” sequel to “Cruel as the Grave"” 1871; “The Two Sis- ters; ol Virginia and Magdalene,” 1891; *‘Victor's Triumph, 1874 “Vivia; or, The Secret of Power,” 1875. In sketches of Mrs. Southworth are references to books written by her which do not appear in this list, among them being “The Specter Lover,” “The Gypsy's Prophecy” and “A Beautiful Fiend. or Through the Fir and “Capitola.” Mrs. Soutl wonth's books written in the 50s, 60s and 70s were published by T. B. Peterson & Co., 306 Chestnut street, Philadelphia, and in the 803 and 90s by Robert Bonner & Sons. New York. * ¥ ¥ % A FEW yards below the chapel in Oak Hill cemetery is a plain marble headstone inscribed as fol- lows: “E. D. E. N. Southworth, born December 26, 1819; died June 30, 1899. And her granddaughter. Gladys R. Lawrence, born May 11, 1869; died 23, 1871. Richmond J. South M. D, born April 23, 184 died July 27, 1900.” Close around the grave of Mrs, Southworth are monu- ments inscribed: Brainerd ncer, dled April 15, 1384, aged 31 yea: Ruby and Philip. children of Brainerd T. and Lola M. Spencer; Henry C. Hooker, captain, 24 N. Y. Heavy Ar- tillery, dled August lh quies.. The exact. was not defini! recoe morning, But it is $he morning as possible, probably at 9' o’clock. “While for some years past Mrs.'and remained until Southwgrth on account of her health i when she returned home. had not been able to attend church, |last a telegram was nouncing the serious she was inclined to the Swede of the funeral|children are living, Mr: ced this ‘tine Lawrence of Yonkers. re_of theiDr. Richmond J. family to have it ‘as early Monday |Mrs. Southworth was first taken sick beginning of warm weather her | » daughter was sent for. She came here | the city and the xame enthuxiasm and enersy [ et carcied her”literaary life forward wer S : | felt to advantage in the schoolroom. Un_the ?‘“e‘r‘"giy extabl'shment of the system of four. s*hool - | d of her ¢ James Valen- | 1819, in a house on New Jersey avenur ear K street southeast, which Is still stauding. Her maiden name wax Emma D. E. Nevitte, the family coming fron Virginia. o fn 18 cher in the public schools of she besame an assistant in nd subsequently daughter of Judge Underwood, well known in early Washington. Mrs. Hunt was an intimate friend of Mrs. Southworth. Mrs. Southworth nd Harriet Beecher Stowe were' close friends of long staading. Mrs. Stow. after a term of teaching school in Kentucky, worth at the cottage o worth then a writer of renown. UNDERSECRETARY OF THE U. S. TREASURY IS YOUTHFUL GENIUS AND HUMAN DYNAMO BY JAMES A. BUCHANAN. HE people of Europe when l [ they select a man for an im- j L] portant government position generally pick out an indi- vidual who has served his country for many years, proceeding on the theory that it is necessary for a man to have put in numerous years as a government official before he is capable of occupyifiig a post that car- ries with it grave responsibllities. This condition does not obtain in the United States. Ability, rather than age. is the chief qualification de- manded. ' When the announcement was made : that a very young man was to be ap- pointed undersecretary of the Treas- ury of the United States, financlal wizards of foreign shores could hardly credit the news that & man born in 1892 had been selected to occupy this most fmportant and responsible posi- tion. Presidents ot banks and other! individuals interested in financial matters could hardly belleve the news | that the Secretary of the Treasury had selected as his principal assistant | 2 man less than thirty years old. The big financiers of Wall street were not at all surprised, because they had had evidences of the ability possessed by the young man, who had secured his training in the law offices of one of the leading firms in the United States. The young man selected by Secretary Mellon was S. Parker Gilbert, jr. Mr. Gilbert was born.in Bloomfield, N. J. He attended the public schools and, according to his instructors, gave evidence, even at early age, of possessing a mind far above the av- erage. Studies requiring deep analysis were easily solved by the }'mlna lad. He graduated with honors an entered Rutgers, where he again at. tracted attention beca of the keen analytical mind he possessed. After !l graduating from Rutgers he entered the Harvard Law School. Fsrldlllflnx from that institution in 1915. He at, once entered the law firm of Craveth & Henderson, staying with that firm until he came to Washington in 1918, ‘When the United States, in 1917, cast her lot with the allles, numer- ous young men tried to enlist in the army. Mr. Gilbert was one of these men, but despite the fact that he of- fered to walve any claim for death or disability, he was rejected by the Army surgeons on account of an old wound caused by an operation that had been performed about a year before. Not being able to enter the war a3 a soldier was a _ it dis- appointment to Mr. Gilbe: Deter- mined that he would take some part in the great conflict, he resigned from PARKER GILBERT, Jr. Less Than | Tl’\irty Years Old. Holds One of the Most l Important Financial Positions in the World: I Recognized Authority in Matters of Finance. | Works Days, Nights, Sundays and Holidays. Uses Relays of Stenographers. ; 8 o'clock in the morning until some- time the next morning. Sundays and holid are just work days for him. The reason for these long hours is not that he does not work rapidly. because he does, but the “long day: ure necessary because of the vast amount of work that has been place upon his shoulders. At the beginning of every morning there is a mountain of work confronting him, work of a character that will permit of no de- lay. work of a kind that affects the interest of every citizen of the United States. * kK X MAN to hold down the position that Mr. Gilbert does must, one hustling. bustling ndividual, with { three or four lead pencils back of his ear, sitting at a desk signing in- numerable documents with an army of messengers blotting signature: rather you find a courteous, neatly dressed, youngish-looking man, who does not differ in any way. as far as appearances are concerned, from a thousand or more men you might meet at your club. at a ball game, the theater or at church. Mr. Gilbert stands about six feet one and tips the scales at about 165 !pounds. His hair is brown. worn rather short, eyes blue, smooth fac: strong white teeth, and he gives one the impression that here is a_man who lives a_simple iife, one who i clean, morally and mentally. His face in repose is that of a student. While discussing matters pertaining to his office he speaks in a well modu- lated volce, using the exact word needed to describe this or that branch of his activities. Before he came to Washington with former Assistant Secretary Lefingwell he employed what leisure time he had in reading. his favorite books being those deal- ing with histories, biographies and { works on travel. Occasionally on.a | week end he used to “try to play|tered by Father Lucas of St. Peter's | golf,” other times wielding a tenni racket. The latter game he considers one of the most beneficial forms of good play. When at home he attended the Baptist Church. Mr. Gilbert is a member of the fol- Jowing cluba: Metropolitan, Harvard, University. In politics he is normal Iy a republican, but is an American first. This characteristic was force- || tuily demonstrated when, after hav- the: Grea af Craveth & “"‘"""W"““l S. PARKER GILBERT, JR.. UNDERSECRETARY OF THE TREASURY: came to Washington to be 3 member of the war loan staff. 4s a_ member of that board he did a lot of excel- lent financial work, which consiated of putting over the liberty and farm loans. LR T IN June, 1920, Mr. Gilbert was ap- pointed Treasury, in charge of fiscal next man to m“s::mmm ‘F:g o direct charge of the financial affair: of the nation, There are a dosen or more bureaus and offices under his for instance, commis- public debt, which N!x)llvthlon( o{l lo;nl and ';:‘u:- réncy, ister of the Treasury, divi-: Affalrs. | sion of public debt accounts and audit He was reappointed by President and savings division. of accounts and deposits, which in- DI:lllilal‘l flt“bookkl?'!'ll and . ‘warrants, division of depos! of the Treasury. This office awas not lurer of the United States, controller in existence prior to that daté. . The|of ‘b.bmwu” bureau n 3 1y, secret service divis £ rament actuai 4, at Deep 'power to act. for the Secretary at all . He handlgs lufl-dlctlor&.‘ stant secrétary of the|cl Commissioner of the budget, i the facal airatrs of e ———————————————————————————————eeeeeeeet? times, and when Mr. Mellon ia absent from the city this young man is in|matters relating to public debts, sits. in on the Federal Reserve Board, acts| the department, current financing, all as adviser to the Secretary in mat- ters of financial legislation, in fact, he 18 in touch with every financial activity of the government. Mr. Gil- bert does not use a mtenographer. He' uses relays of them, and these knights] of the pot hooks their mental’ toes every minute of the time they are in Mr. Gilbert's room.. He dictates well, and as his subject(} is always mastered before he starts dictating, there 4s o haslung. :.ll’ gun as & consequence the sténe hiz-book well 2 “ My. Gilbert.does not work from®§ o'clock until r generally leaves the room wit hia He works from about. ing been turned down by the Army surgeon, he left a most lucrative prac- tice in New York and came to Wash- by Mrs. Southworth, but it has upon it the touch of the publisher's hand. vas great curiosity to know nd of a woman Mrs. South- s, and this biography was put out with the idea of ap- measure and stimulating be the best biographic come down to us and has served as the groundwork for a number of papers and essays outhworth. So, let us take aragraphs out of that 1869 The ancest f Mrs. Southwo on ther side Fi nt in Maryland. where proprietors. tx coutinued te live for posts _and tak'ng important government of the province. When the A revoiution brol they were among first to tuke up arme in Jonial cauxe. and the names of Covington, Wailes and Nevitte are not un- al_annals of the south. mma D. Southworth was the daughter of ¢ narles Lecompte Nevitty you call upon Mr. Gilbert you do not | yiire thev lea<sd jointly see a big-headed, bulging forehead.|hd Y - : Alexandria, Va.. hix second wife Suxaunah George Md. He was a large ‘mporting merchant of naval troubles with! e ge A hix business thrown into i parrassment. During the wi Nevitte served at the head lunteers and received a wound married his _second wife, Kusannah Wailex, & girl of fifteen, the only chil 1 e separated. In consequence of th they removed together to anted by Gen. Washingion, (Thie Star man belleves that this house w de at the time of George ington’s death. For a long time it wax known as the Hillman house and later as t Kenmore, under which name it came into mach notoriety’ through the Bonine tragedy. Tt was torn down on the creation of the Union Sta- tion plaza.) She was a_child_of sorrow from the first years of lier life. Thin in frame and dark in complexion. with a pair of great wild eyes. she had no scft infantile beauty to attract love, and for the firsi three ye life,” judging from what she has since heard. she 'was nothing but an unmitigated trouble to her friends. vitality that throngh the fllness of her infancy and child- hood, but also through the heavy misfortunes of_hwr g'rihood and womanhood. en Emma was ahout three vears old her | sister Chariotte was born. The latt s a2t lovely child. rounded form, fair. rosy complexion. seft bine eyes snd flaxen hair that in after years became u dark bright (?) chestnut. She was a happy, social. loving ature, and naturalty won ali hearts around her—parents, cousins, uurses and servants— who had been tired ‘out by three years tendance upon the willful little imp, her 5 * k k% {-MMA'S father was a Catholic. and her mother an Episcopalian., When Capt. Nevitte came to die the last % of his church ‘were adminis- Church, Capitol Hill. There was an old colored man, Uncle Biggs, who Setosan e e R T e work must be done at a desk. He is 8 T R e e b P D o oviot fan bitdocsanioy | coun L RUEE R s Ok or “choke-full’ of ghost stories and plantation yarns of piracy, murder and such. and Uncle Biggs had a won- drous influence on little Emma. Sh was s0 impressed with Uncle Bigg: ghost story that she often saw the phantom o$ her father. The Wailes and Nevittes came to that not uncom- mon_ situation called “straitened cir- cumstances,’’ and Mrs. Walles took in boarders at’ the big house, later the ington betause he felt that it was ub! Filiman house, but “as she could not to him to de something for his country. Dresent a bill, being 3 lady of the old school, the taking in of boarders It is extremely doubtful that he will | yas given up after a year's. triale stay in his Dresent position for more!The biography tells of the children than three or four years, and when|going on steambbat to Blackistone’s he leaves the Treasury Department it|Tsland and “there taking a coach to will be to return to the practice of}the old manor home. It is not ex~ law, specializing+ in financial law.|plained why they did aot leave the Mr. Gilbert is modest to the ‘nth de- | gTee. He just simply won't talk about himself, but when matters re- 'I1ating to the nation's financing are|dryer way of going there in a coach brought up Mr. Gilbert has uno hesi- boat at a landing on the mainland and then take a coach to go to their home. It would seem to be an easier and than to debark on an island. When ancy about talking. He is truly a re-{ Emma was ten years old her widowed matkable man, a man who is destined §° slag important parts in the coun- of istory. n a man twenty- itory. When a wm-ny '{“ years old can satisfac greajer things of him. mother remarried, mfi'filn‘ herself this time with J. L. He: \w of Bos- ton. The family maintained thelr residence in the New Jersey avenue 't of under th 1a . ; itlon llknth:' 2{. ades uf;&fi home and hires yours ter Mr. and ife has every reason to expect even |school” on the “a select private t floor of the house. and Charlotte took their !unth“e:l and is associated with and her conntry. . . . Mrs. Sonthworth's ‘novels had the widest ‘cireula shop. The first thing Mre. Southworth wrote with the hope of having it pub- lished was s short story which she called “Thé Tf; Refugee,” based on an old St. Mafys county tale she had heard as a girl. She sent the story to Dr. J. E. Snodgrass, editor and publisher of the Saturday Visitor of Baltimore. It was accepted with a note of thanks, but not with a check. The first_directory which The Star man _finds Mrs. Southworth is that of 1855, in which she is entered as “Mrs. Emma D. E. N. Southworth. authoress, No. 5 Lingan, Georgetown.” in the directory of 1863 her place of residence is entered as “Prospect Cot- age.” In 1868 the name appears of R. J. Southworth, physician, 76 Gay street, boards, 5 Lingan.” In 1870 it « “Dr. Richmond J. Southworth, High Dr: Richmond J. High, house, 5 Lingan. * ¥ ¥ ¥ \/ARIOUS: writers on Nrs. South- worth set it down that she went to live @t Prospect Cottage in 1853. The Star man searched the indices § at the rccorder’s office for the perfpd 1852 to 1858 but found no deed to‘.\’rl. Southworth. She prob- ably rented the cottage for some years ore buying it. Mrs. South- worth 38ft mo will. Dr. Southworth [ the cottage till his death in year after Mrs. Southworth death. .Then it was occupied by Mrs. o imagines, have the appearance and|widowsd mother. from whom she would not | O % ae characteristics of a prodigy. but when | ¥ | Southworth's half-sister, Mrs. Frances s Henshew, Baden. Later its fortunes decline@ and “many thousands of ng previously | Washington people came to know it as a little refreshment place where i {ice cream and soft and kickless bev- erages were sold. A few years ago it was bought by Dr. Sarah M. Huddle- son, who came to Washington from Kansas @ity about {wenty years ago |and is joonnected with the Depart- {ment of Agriculture and lives in a big. old-fashioned house, 202 11th street sowthwest. In buying this cot- tage shfihaught she might persuade the public authorities to take it over and preserve it ax a memorial to Mrs. Southwor! There were also nego- tiations with the Penwomen's League. It is_now occupied by Mr. Mandis, who keeps a cafe nearby. Much of the Southworth library and cottage furnishings are now the property of Mrs. Southworth's daughter, Char- lotte, who married Capt. Lawrence of Yonkers something more than fifty years ago. Two or three years ago The Star’s account of their marriage was reprinted in that interesting col- umn in The Star headed “Fifty Years Ago.” Capt. Lawrence is dead. Mrs. Lawrence is living and has one son. J. B. Lawrence. Among the old friends of Mrs. Southworth mow liv- ing in Washington are Mrs. Mary Lockwood, Mrs. William Netherland, a niece, 2906 13th street; Aunt Susan Crawford, colored. who worked for Mrs. Southworth, 3 P street; Mrs. C. S. Mitchell, 719 1st street morth- west; Mrs. John W. Davis, & niece, 217 Linworth place southwest; Allen C. Clark, president of the Columbia Historical Society: Fred Woodward ‘of Woodward & Lothrop; Mrs. John J. Beall, 1630 31st street: and Mrs. Fin- ley, who lives.on 36th street. George Fraser, who lives at 1000 B street Muddiman & Co. went to school to Mrs. Southworth when she taught in the old Jefferson Echool building. . Dr. Huddleson read a paper on Mra. Southworth before the Columbia Hi torical Society, April 22, 1919, and among_some of the things she said were these: Mrs. Southwerth belongs to our National . Here she was bom; here she Do "mhke tin ity “Sumoue? Bore ‘the e ¢l 3 BoIBed, 23 teneath the otk irees of besutitul Ouk 'Hill abe rests her last rest. She was traly “a lady o the manner bora.” ted wbe _":iu." of "extravagance, nd ‘was never v £ i mead was wet tored by the pald B b wona's ‘romantlc publlc. Hhe was & woman of worth and did much for her city tios of any remances of her . Hee wril were unsmirched by slang Sttty wiikden, and. who shatl an inf en, E measyre the t infuence of this dear old lady who, all lle of the