New-York tribune., 1872-10-11

huSo""r paisy, from which ho has suffered so
| long, ana tho fact that the fever increasing
upon him. 'and the catarrhal disturbance also, led
4 hs physician to apprehend fatal result
In The course OF week or more Yet no Immediate fear
felt and his dissolution was sudden and unexpected
Mr. sewards Intellectual faculties were clear and vsor
Gus to tho last save when disturbed by the
OF fever just after the efsivn from the lungs to-day,
thinking It would relieve his breathing, he was at his
| own desire, placed upon lounge ana
bostered mp, and moved from his ad-
| Joining bedroom into his study. where, in the
midst OF his books aud his literary Othcr papers and
sJfounded by his relatives and a few friends and all
hsvieyoed dependents hc breathed his last For tho
last Nour OF his e the powers OF nature were giving
way MS condition became easy, and he spent the time
I'm aecaoDatc leayc-an;s OF his relatives and depend
ents and finally sank queily to bis last rest though
going to sleep.
SARA PAYSON PARTON-~FANNY FERN
Sara Payson Willis, wife of James Parton,
whose death occurred yesterday, though sto
has left few enduring literary woTl has earned with
her pen wide celebrity Born at Portland. Me- in 1911.
she to have passed through somewhat stormy and
cloudy girlhoOd and womanhood, and passed into ma
uro life before she made entrance into the field Of
literature. She descendant OF two old Puritan
families OF Eew-Engand, and, in common with hor
brother, n. =. Wills inht trited from father and
mother large share Of mental power ana
The Puritan Recorder religious journal, published in
Boston, ard Of The TOutFs Companion printed in the
same city. The mother OF the Willis children, Ma
thanel, Richard, and Jane, IA described as q
large-braDed, gTeathearted woman OF most loyaDle
character. When Sara yet child, her family re-
moved to Boston. where she passed al" her early years
GI,o hartford, Conn.,, by Miss Cath
erine Beecher ard was recognized as o clever
young lady, tigh-spiiitcd and eccentric, and
addicted to mischievous and comical escapadcs. While
yet young. and soon after leaving school, sho married
Mr.. Edrdge of Boston. After the birth OF three chill
dreD, she left q widow and In somewhat en-
barrsssed circumstances OF these straits came ner
first Literary venture, and, in 1851, sho offered
essay signed Fanny Fern" to Of the literary
weekies Of Boston. It was accepted. and acceptable
for the great reading public immediately dc
manded more, and :" Fanny Fern" grew into fame and
favor These leaflets gathered into volume with
the title Of Fern Leaves and had great sale, no less
than 750C0 copies OF the book having been sold Ltue
fair sale and second series Of the Leaves reached
very large edition. In 1854, her first novel
and over Its family revelations ana allusions
generous charity draws vail Of forgetlulness
work, and commanded wider circle Of readers than
even the unhappy notoety OF its predecessor had az
tTacted. Tho two novels the only ones which
" Fanny Fern" ever published; they provoked much
criticism. and were read by thousands who sought in
their pages the same grace and yivacy which had Deen
the charm OF her less PTeientions WrltinSs 20 Mr.
James Parton OF tins city, the brilliant and effective his
tOriral writer essayist. Since her marriage her
pubs he'd writings have not been vOlumnOus but their
character has been considerably modified and improved
compared with those Of her earlier career. She was
good hater." and her pen, gentle and mild enough
wlen pursuing cOngenal themes, pointed
and CALLING when engaged In the ehastisement
OF vice, cant. or snOobcry She had a fierce
hatred for every sort OF hypocrisy and, with
the inevitable tendency OF one who pursucs these
subjects with pertnacity, she sometimes drted into ex
rayagance and uncharitabeness As writer OF brief
sketches and essays for the weekly she exceed
and IN the production OF these she was lndOmtlble
in industry fertile in resource, and bOnndess In pa
tcnce Shej has shown her struggling ssterhood what
woman can do with the pen; for, In spite
Of nunberless Obstacles, she won herself
place IN current literature, generous in ONE,
aud many honest friends and admirers. Her life WAC
not alwaya sunny; but lis closing years uncouded
by bodily ills; and after long, busy wTestle with
lIfe's problems, she sleeps well NJ last.