Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1868-10-03
Gail Hamiiton and Fanny Fern.

"The Eminent Women of the Age" il
the title of volume on tie eve Of publi-
cation. The editor ofthe New York Ece.
ming Mail has seen the proof sheets, and
gives his readers a spicy pecimen of Gal
Hamilton and Fanny Fern. Tire pub.
fishers requested Fanny Fern to write
something of the fiery Gail, whereupor
says Fanny: w
Twill / write sketch of Gail Hamil-
ton" Will touch off Parrot gun
thought; and will it kick if / do 2
However. ventured to send the follow
ing missive:
I" My Dear Miss Dodge, otherpise
| Gail Hamilton: A book is in prospect
Many of our we'll known literary people
are 10 write for it. Its title is to be EN-
inent Women of the Age You and /
are to be in it. l am to do you. Who is
to serve me up, the go,ls only know. Will
you be good enough to inform me at your
earliest convenience, when and whare
you cut your first tooth, whether you had
the measles before the mumps, or the
mumps before the measles; also, any
other interesting items about yourself
Writing about you will be labor of
love with me for, although stranger to
you save through your writings, rejoice
every day in your existence. Please
send an early answer.
Yours, etc., FANNY FERN. 3
In few days / received the following
reply; =,
of New Yorkers is astonishing. You are
about to burn me at the stake, and will l
have the goodness to send on shavings
and dry wood by the next mail?
Thank you, madam, / will.
"LIFE AND SuFFERIsGs OF GAIL HAMILTON.
Written BY ltsel. And with Former Trans
lations Diligently Compared and Revised; :.
To the best Of my knowledge and
belief, was born in the New York Inde
pendent, some time during the latter half
of the present. century, and before the
Independent had been annexed to the
domains of Theodore, King of Abyssinis,
against whom the great powers have just
advanced an expedition. Simultaneous.
ly, or thereabouts, was also born in the
National Era. SO must be twins On
that ground it has never been satistac-
torily settled whether / am myself or
Mrs. Simpson, of Washington. III am
Mrs. Simpson, am the wife of an officer,
who, 10 his infinite regret, was not killed
in the late unpleasantness, and am
lineal descendant of that Simple Simon,
who once went fishing for to catch a
whale, though all the water that he had
was in his mothers pail If am not
Launcelof, nor any other, but only my
own self, am like Melehisedeek, without
mother, without descent, and my enemies
fear, also, have no end Of life. On one
point commentators are agreed, that /
am not an Eminent Woman Of my
time, and therefore have n part nor lot
in your book. In fact am
Neither man nor woman,
] am neither brute nor human,
I'm q ghoul
aud all that ask is to be LET alone.
Independent / graduated into the Con-
gregd dtionalfsts, Of blessed memory; and
from the Ira padded over into the At
lonfic. fourisbed in immortal vigor
on the cover Of Our Young Folks, and
at sundry times, and in divers other man
ners aud places, have, fear, contributed
10 the deterioration Of our youth. 1
sadly confess, also, that am guilty OF as
many books ss Mrs. Rogers bad small
children; but being written in love, and
in the spirit Of meekness, they are held
in high esteem, especislly Of men.
Wke-eas.e ] else, add Ike 81. Ps=i. that
which comeih upon ne daiiy, The care Of
all the churches.
"Sucb. unhappy felIov-suGerers, is
my thrilling story. IL any one shan add
unto these things let him trenble lest
inprecsie upon him al the p'sgues Of