Wilmington daily gazette., 1872-10-14
FANNY FERN DEAD.

sarah Payson Wi'lis, the wife Of James Par
ton, the biographer and essayist, died in her lat
residence. 3OS Fast Eighteenth street, at
= CLOCK on Thursday evening Mrs. Parton wa
, known in the literary world as "Fannv Fern.
!. and her loss will be sadly ielt nv the thousands
: who have derived pleasure from her light ant
GENIAL essays. She was in the sixty first ear o.
her age bat her mental powers were unin ,aired
although disease has for years been unterl lining
> her physical frame
: Mrs. Parton was sister of the poet, Nathan.
iel j. Willis She was BORN in Portland. Me.
IN 1911. While still smai! child her iather
removed with his family to Boston, and in tha,
cry siie spent her early years. She was educa
,ed IN Hartford, Conn, by Miss Catherine
beecher, who esteemed her AS a clever and ca.
pable, but not brilliant girl
| Whlle still very young she married Mr.. FL
dridge OF Boston, and in 1850 che was left
widow in straigl tened circumstances, with three
children. To support herself and little ones she
began to write sketches for the Boston weeklies
under the name of FANNY Fern" She became
famous at single bound, and her pseudonym Is
now MS familiar as household word. In 1856
she was married to Mr.. James Parton and since
mat time herwrltlngs hive not been volumnols. |
i's Is said that Mr.. Bonner has paid her the |
magnificent sum of Sl5O.000 for her contrbu-
tlons to the Ledger alone.
Mrs. Parton has been afflicted for many wears
with lntlammatory rheumatism. She has been
aoie to ride about. however, and walk in her
earuen--sle was an ardent admircr OF flowers
until this fall. She passed last summer at her
villa IN Newport Her right arm was SO affected
as to be powerless, and she has not left her room
since her return to the city. She was forced to
81 N an easy chair, her arm being supported
py frame 70 lie down caused intense pain
ana difficulty in breathing. In this chair
"here she has sat for two months, she died,
surrounded sby loving friends, and her ewes
eslng on the beautiful flower. which were her
omfort in life.
She was perfectly conscious to the last moment
nd she sent messages Of her love to distant
rlends. A short time ago she told her husband
nat she was shocked when she saw strangers
lewlng the remains Of the late Alice Carey in
'r. Deemss church, and one of her last requests
,as, Let no stranger look upon my face"
'hlspered as the breath Of life was passing from
er. She had always entertained a strong aver.
on to ostentatious funerals, and her wishes in
lis respect will be fulfilled to the letter BY her
lends.
Early on Thursday she knew her end was q
pproachlng. AT 3 o'clock in the afternoon she
'lled her family around the arm chair in which
le explred-for her suflerings prevented her
ON resting on bed. Sally did every member n
espond to the summons. In the little circle il
ere DR.. Parton, Miss Eldrdge the dying lady's !,
lush hter her two sisters, Miss Julia Willis and o.
rs Bumstead, and a little g-andchild. DIR.
urges, her physician, came in at that moment
"a joined the group. The authoress, whose
e was rapidly ebbng, called each to her side, =
d said few words of admonition till she had \
ached the last. When her little grandchild 4
me to her she directed Dr. Parton 10 send her
riy to bed, and if her death occurred that :,
sh, not to tell the child till to morrow. ppll
Soon after this sad scene, DR.. Surges stepped Gu
ward and felt her pulse. The authoress fixed ne
r gaze upon him and asked firmly: p, pir
doctor, am dying" u
The Doctor answered "Yes." :.
Her pulse had almost gone, and she presented A
mistakable traces of her approaching demise; a,
the announcement ofthe physician made no Vi
preston upon her. At half past six o'clock
se around her noticed that she was unusually I
/. They felt her pulse, it had stopped. She irl.
! just closed her eyes as If TO sleep A mirror an
placed to her lips; but its continued bright. TE
$ revealed the fact that she had brealhed her .hi
:, as
he funeral services will he celebrated at her ora
se o.day. Only the intimate friends of the my my
MY will be present. The remains will be and
en- to Boston Tonight and inferred in Mount dia
bum Cemetery.-N. s. Sun, Oct. H. leal al