National Republican., 1877-02-18
"STRfTHMORE." ="
The story ofIts Original California Scandal.

The story Oflts Origin-A California Scandal.
Olive Logan writes from London to the San
Francisco bulletin;
For good or III, there Is scarcely another writer
OF contemporaneous English fiction who is better
known to Englsh.speaklng people than the lady
who uses as a nom de plume the name which her
brothers and sisters lispingly gave her in the
nursery, Oulda. Her full and proper cognomen Is
Louise de Ia Rance, and her abode at present is
magnificent mansion just outside Of Florence
Italy, where, amid surroundings Of gay slken
hangings, marble statues, old pictures, medieval
bricdbrdc, and perfect wilderness of flowers,
she sits and composes those fascinating romances
which have made SO wide mark as to create q
special style, and have brought their brilliant
aNthor fame and fortune. For several years after
her first success in "Strathmore," the mystery
surrounding the identy Of Ouida was as greAt as
that which enveloped the unknown author Of that
marvellous romance, "Adam Bede;' and though
OF late every one knows that the author Of Ouidas
novels is Miss dc la Rance, quite as well as they
know that the composer OF the Waverley novels
was Sir Walter Scott, Ouida still insists that
with her Individual personality the public has
nothing to do, and that there is no reason why in
print she should ever be spoken Of, except by her
nom de plume.
This lack Of certainty as to what OuIda was
some years ago, gave an ambitious American
lady chance to enjoy brief but delicious season
OF popularity. This was a very beautiful woman
OF San Francisco, whose name It Is unnecessary
TO give, for It's publication might cause pain to
her relatives, who still live there, 1 am told.
This lady (whom may at least call by her frst
name Laura), was, as I have said, exceedingly
In ndsome and rather fast She married at
very early age, and was soon deserted By n
worthless husband, and before long she became
entangled in set OF passionate love ccmplica.
tlons with three or four wealthy San Franciscans
In a manner very similar to the lovethroes, woes
| and Joys depleted in Strathmore." Jewels
| worthy OF an empress were offered her, first by
one, then another Of her adorcrs; a villa whittier
Claude Melnottc might have been satisfied to
out Of San Francisco, was accepted by
her: Presently Ted;handed Jealousy stalkci
man was shot and the murderer was the man
who Of all men cared most for his victim. They
was the end Of sad affair. and the lady ielt Tor Tor
| Europe. Heio she made the acqualnt ance OF
oulda, then stopping at the Langham Hotel in
London. 1t is now pretty generally believed that
Laura, In the course Of tender, womanly conf.
dence, told Oulda her exciting yet tragic hlstorys
which the young authoress Immediately awaited
herself Of In that fascinat ting story Strathmore
But, no one at that time knowing anything
about Oulla, and great many persons knowing
certain class 1.-THE drst class Of the large Ameri,
can cites) was that Laura herself was the
S HSW sSe 6s
bonbons Sent, with admirlng compliments, "To
, the authoress Of 'Strathmore. She was now IN
New York again, stopping at one Of the grand
i hope have not given the impression that
Laura was person who had placed herself out
side of the pale OF respectable society. On the
contrary, she was conceded to be tthough reek
less Of conyentionallties) innocent of actual i'm
times in California It was not considered bad
In aay e aeSeR very expensive g
with money her father gave her. Amer she wen,
east she got In with many literary people. and
also made the acquaintance of Fernando Wood
Dickens and eosx The e great author q write t az
original novel for a curious New York week I,
ems had signed and sealed an agreement to con
tribute Edwin brood" to the columns of thl.
organ Of the great unwashed before he became
sion Is, that both Dickens and Tcknor & Fields
| had to pay large sum to ransom the work, and
rescue the great novelist from the hobbe ir
which the socalled authoress OF "Strathmore'
had placed him.
The last time saw the beautiful Laura was or
toward Europe; | had gone aboard to see some
friends OIL and she was the first person met
| She was In mourning for some one, and looked
way clad in gorgeous sables, surrounded by q
whole bevy Of admirers, and backed by a per
sent her by despairng adorers. The most @ strik ii
| ing and lOyley pecullarity Of her face was hei
eyes-of a shade Of blue rarely seen outside d
elimes. was going to say her eyes were hel
best features, but II did SO should have forgot
! her winning, smiling mouth, full Of sound, white
/ teeth. Just before l badc her adieu, ventured
! TO put to her the pOint.blank question, Are you
| really the authOress of StrathmOrc?' "Iht
authorship OF the novel Is n secret,r she replied
| with an evaslye bat what seemed q cOnfessng
smile. Ouida would have highly relished the
remark fancy II she had been present But dc
eeption Is always a short.livcd affair; and Ouida
| VINO has followed "Strathmure" by u succession
| of novels which show constant literary improve
ment can afford to smile at this little episode IN
! tile past.