Woman of the Century/Frances Hodgson Burnett

BURNETT, Mrs. Frances Hodgson, novelist, born in Manchester, England, 24th November, FRANCES HODGSON BURNETT. 1849. She lived in Manchester until 1864. acquiring that familiarity with the Lancashire character and dialect which is so noticeable in her works of later years. Her parents suffered financial reverses in 1865, her father died, and the family came to the United States. They settled in Knoxville, Tenn., and afterwards moved to New market, Tenn. Mrs. Hodgson took a farm, w here her two sons and three daughters could work and earn their bread. Frances began to write short stories, the first of which was published in a Philadelphia magazine in 1867. She persevered and soon had a market for her work, "Peterson's Magazine." and "Godey's Lady’s Book," publishing many of her stories before she became famous. In 1872 she contributed to "Scribner's Magazine" a story in dialect. "Surly Tim's Trouble." which scored an immediate success. Miss Hodgston became the wife of Dr. Luan M. Burnett, of Knoxville, in 1873. They made a long tour in Europe and, returning in 1875, made their home in Washington, D. C., where they now reside. Her famous story, "That Lasso' Lowrie's." created a sensation as it was published serially in "Scribner's Magazine." It was issued in book form (New York. 1877), and it found a wide sale, both in the United States and in Europe, running through many editions. On the stage the dramatized story was received with equal favor. In 1878 and 1879 she republished some of her earlier stories, which bad appeared in various magazines. Among those are "Kathleen Mavourneen." "Lindsay's Luck," "Miss Crespigny." "Pretty Polly Pemberton" and "Theo." These stories had appeared in a Philadelphia magazine, and had been published in book form, without her permission, b\ a house in that city, a proceeding which caused a controversy in public. Her plots were pillered by dramatists, and all the evidences of popularity were showered upon her. Her later novels, "Haworthy (New York, 1879). "Louisiana" (New York, 1881), "A Fair Barbarian" (New York, 1882), and "Through One Administration" (New York, 1883), have continued her reputation. But her greatest success, on the whole, has been won by her "Little Lord Fauntleroy," which first appeared as a serial in "St. Nicholas," in 1886. It was subsequently published in book form and was dramatized, appearing on the English and American stages with great success. Mrs. Burnett is very fond of society, but her health is too delicate to enable her to give time to both society and literary- work. She has been a sufferer from nervous prostration, and since 1885, has not been a voluminous writer. Sue has published "Sara Crewe" (New York, 1888), "Editha's Burglar" (Boston, 1888), and "Little Saint Elizabeth" and other stones (New York, 1890). Mrs. Burnett is the mother of two sons, one of whom died at an early age. Despite her long residence abroad, she calls herself thoroughly American.