Page:The Southern Literary Messenger - Minor.djvu/143

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Literary Messenger
125

cision in favor of "Stephano Colonna, or Love and Lore; A Tale of the 15th Century." Of its authorship they had not the remotest idea, but it turned out to belong to Mrs. Minor, the spouse of the editor, and the author of "The Fatal Effects of Insincerity," in last year's Messenger. Perhaps she took her prize in some "preferred equivalent."

La Visionnaire was the consort of the editor. She was Virginia Maury Otey, eldest child of the Rt. Rev. James Hervey Otey, D. D., and Eliza D. Pannill, his wife. She was graduated in 1840 with high distinction, at the Columbia (Tennessee) Female Institute, which was founded and watched over by her father. Among her teachers there were a Mrs. Shaw, from Philadelphia, and her attractive daughter, Annie. Misses Shaw and Otey became bosom friends. Miss Shaw married the Rev. Dr. Wm. H. Odenheimer, of Philadelphia, who was afterwards made Bishop of New Jersey.

Miss Otey was a bright scholar and highly accomplished. She was an excellent musician and performed on and sang to the piano, guitar and harp. She was also a fine reader, and the expression which she gave to the sentiments of her songs, together with her distinct enunciation, greatly enhanced the effect of her exquisite singing. She was a ready writer in both prose and