originality and novelty tends to make us victims of cruel deception. Language is often used to give color and attractiveness to vice and heartless fashion. In view of this, it is no small compliment to say of this young writer she has the Christian ingenuity to intermingle much practical piety with what she writes. Herself a staunch Christian, her writings in no respect belie her good profession of faith.
Mrs. Lavinia B. Sneed, Contributor Afro-American Press.
This lady, a regular and excellent writer, was born near New Orleans, La., May 15, 1867. Upon moving to Louisville she entered the public schools, and afterward attended the State University which was established in 1881. Being a new institution its students encountered many obstacles common to such enterprises in their incipiency. Mrs. Sneed, desiring to enhance its prosperity, was one of the first to travel with a concert troupe for the purpose of raising funds for the furtherance of the work. She labored zealously for the institution; and is one of the few women who have received the title of A. B., having graduated from the college department of this university as valedictorian of the class of 1887. She is a singer of merit, as well as an elocutionist of superior ability.
While her journalistic life has not been as great as others, yet she has written much for our magazines and papers. Her contributions are always looked upon as choice English, while the thought is pure, clear, and easy to catch. She is indeed a writer for the populace, in that she writes so that the meagerly educated may understand the purport of her articles. In most of her writings her decided ability has been made apparent.
In the summer of 1888 she married the highly intellectual
