Page:The part taken by women in American history.djvu/841

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Part Taken by Women in American History


ginia, her father Samuel P. Hawes, having removed there from Massachusetts. In 1856 she was married to Rev. E. P. Terhune, and since 1859 has lived in the North, but her stories have dealt largely with Southern life. She wrote her book "The Story of Mary Washington" to get funds to aid in the effort to erect a monument to the mother of Washington, which was unveiled on May 10, 1894. She has been a most industrious writer. Among her works are "Alone," "Nemesis," "The Hidden Path," "Miriam," "Husks," "Husbands and Home," "Sunnybank," "Helen Gardner's Wedding Day," "At Last," "The Empty Heart," "Common Sense in the Household." Her novel "Sunnybank" was very severely criticised by Southern editors, when it appeared soon after the Civil War. Mrs. Terhune's younger brothers were in the Confederate Army.

Mrs. Terhune has three children, with all of whom she has collaborated in literary work.

ELIZABETH STUART PHELPS WARD.

Mrs. Ward was born in Andover, Massachusetts, August 31, 1844, and inherited literary talent from both of her parents. Her mother was the writer of a number of stories for children, and her father, Rev. Austin Phelps, a professor of sacred rhetoric in the Theological Seminary of Andover, was the writer of many lectures which in book form have become classics and to-day are accepted text-books. At the age of thirteen Mrs. Ward made her first literary venture in a story which was accepted by the Youths' Companion. Her first novel, "Gates Ajar," 1869, met with unprecedented success. In 1888, she married Rev. Herbert D. Ward, and with him has written several novels, the most important of which are, "The Last of the Magicans," "Come Forth," "A Singular Life," and what she regards as her most important work, "The Story of Jesus Christ," which appeared in 1897. Some of Mrs. Ward's books are, "Ellen's Idol," "Up Hill," "A Singular Life," "The Gipsy Series," "Mercy Glidden's Works," "I Don't Know How," "Men, Women and Ghosts," "The Silent Partner," "Walled In," "The Story of Avis," "My Cousin and I," "The Madonna of the Tubs," "Sealed Waters," "Jack, the Fisherman," "The Master of Magicians," and many sketches, stories and poems for magazines.

FRANCES HODGSON BURNETT.

Was born in Manchester, England, November 24, 1849. Her father was a well-to-do merchant. He died when she was but ten years old. Soon after his death the family removed to Tennessee to reside with an uncle. They settled in Knoxville, but her uncle having lost everything by the war, they made their home in the country and experienced the greatest poverty. Her mother's health failed under these trying conditions, and she died about two years after. Frances Hodgson obtained a position as school teacher, receiving her pay in flour, bacon, eggs and potatoes. She had early shown much talent in story writing, and at thirteen she wrote quite a creditable story, which her sister insisted on sending to a publisher. The only difficulty in the way of accomplishing this was how to procure the necessary postage, and a basket of wild grapes was sold by these