The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1880-07-22
NUMBER 10.
FANNY FERN.

alone, but who honestly earned from
her own sex gratitude that ought to
quicken the pulse and throb in the heart
Of every woman, as long as one lives to
remember her who so bravely battled
with aud overcame circumstances the
most forbidding and dreary.
To-day gifted women need not feel
themselves alOnei for since the time she
Of whom we speak exclaimed: "Oh, the
saving power there is in feeling that
here is one human being who cares
whether we stand or fallr' woman has
been winning day by day not only JUS
tiee Of criticism, which rightly belonged
to her, but justice Of heart, which is
justly woman's due.
Genius is Of no sex!
In Portland, Maine, July 9th, 1911, a
daughter was born TO Nathaniel Willis
Gather Of \. P. WILLIS, who became
known to the public as Fanny Fern.
She was christened Grata Payson Willis,
"but the family so strongly objected to
the classical name of Grata, that the
still more aucieutname of sara was sub
stituted, and by this name she was
called until she had invented aud given
celebrity to another"
Again the illustration Of blessings
on the hand Of women" for we have
good authority for saying that it twas
unquestionabiy from their mother that
y. p Willis, Fanny Fern, and their
brothers and sisters derived the talent
which all Of them, iu some measure, in
herited."
The family removed to Boston while
she was an infant. Here her father, a
practical printer, established a printing
house, aud later began the publication
Of the Recorder, a religious newspaper,
and later yet, the publication Of the
Youths Companion. for which, after her
school life was ended, she occasionally
wrote bright, pretty pieces.
Her childhood was a happy one. She
is remembered as an interesting little
girl full Of activity, her hair curling
and golden, her complexion brilliant.
Her home, in which there was spare
room, with an old armchair, where a
large Bible lay-the room her mother
used to 90 into, signing as she closed The
door. "Noung as I was" dear, dear
Fanny Fern tells US, 81 had learned to
watch for her coming out; for the sweet,
calm, holy look her features wore fasci-
mated me like a spell Now know how
it was; now that the baptism Of wom-
ans lot has been made mine also; and
often, when blinded by the waves Of
trouble which have dashed over my
head, have thought Of the open Bible
in the old armchair, its pages wet with
tears which no human eye saw fall,
wiped away by no human hand, but
precious in His eyes as the seeds Of the
hu-handman," from which he garners
the golden harvest sheaves. Until the
year 1872, this old house was still stand
ing. The Boston fire swept il away.
81 loved my motherr' are her own
words. EVERY body didr'
Her education was acquired at various
schools; that Of Miss Catharine Beecher,
at Hartford, she remembered as one Of
the liveliest and best.
In 1887, she was married to Mr
Charles E'dredge, the cashier Of the
Merchants Bank, Boston, with HON
she lived ia atlluence and constant hap
piuess for nine years This true home
was first invaded by sorrow when her
first child, beautiful little girl Of seven
years, event TO that blessed home where
tears are wiped away" and where, as
she has feelingly said, "Aunt Fanny
knows her lost are found" Aud before
this first deep grief had spent ITSELF the
husband was stricken with a fever, and
after a six-weeks illness the strong arm
upon which the fond wife had leaned SO
trusiiugly was powerless to shield her
be TO whom she entrusted her life hap.
/ piness lay magnificent in death" Hi:
estate defrayed the cost Of administer
ing-that was ali. The widow founC
herself entirely dependent upon her owl
efforts for the support Of herself and he
two little girls.
What could she DO to earn money
How many, many women in like cir
cumstances have asked the same ques
tion. She tried sewing. She applied
for a situation, and passed an examiua
ton for public school teacher, but The
preference was given 10 another. Nher
every other door seemed closed against
her, the thought occurred to her that
she might earn livelihood by writing
From the great road Of life is there
pathway traced out for every human
souIq Why, then, this blind cropping
in a dense forest, where the thick under
brush opposes a step forward, aud the
sharp thorus and briers that catch at the
outer garments pierce and tear the deli
cate flesh when the hands try to loosen
their grasp? That the feet may strike
that pathway That the step may be
made firm ?. No need to ask you or me,
for we don't know; nor can we tell until
we come to The end Of our pathway.
/ IN a despairing moment she dashed
of "The Model Minister" and carried
the article herself first to one office, ther
to another, until the editor Of a little
magazine -" kind-hearied man ~ -
agreed to take the manuscript for half 6
dollar, to be paid on publication day. A