The sun., 1883-12-16
their subtle Interpretation tho intensity Of the

| inner life Of this woman artist. an inner flame
that burns not for this world" In read
ing these poems you feel that she hears
the songs OF heaven afar." 1t Is tho sound
| OF the living waters to one who cannot drink
the far-falling echo that her oar catches amid
the din and strife OF the market place" To the
exquisite quality Of these poems Miss Whit
ing would add nothing. take away nothing"
or course. she wouldn't, H. asshe says. they
stand as the indces to life. and their under
currents OF meaning are to him who holds the
key to their sacred harmony" They draw
their inspiration from the hidden wells OF
being. from a woman's deepest experiences
love. life. and death" or Mrs. Clemmer's other
| work Miss Whiting says: The logical reason
which. In critical estimate OF Mrs. Clemmers 3
varied work. may be applied to the fact
that her novels have not as yet ever ex-
hiblted her full power lies in the
| very nature OF the work itsef;" and. adds Miss
Whiting. with the enthusiasm Of u discoverer,
" a novel Is not written in an hour. day. q
week" But lest the reader should think that
she had spoken too severely. Miss Whiting
adds: THESE remarks are not intended as
any apology for Mrs. Clemmer's fiction. 1t
| needs none. 1t stands fair among that Of this
age" Mrs. Clemmer has ''enpobed journalism
| by her profound convictions OF its moral sig
| nincance." She has always written up and
| not down to tho mentality OF the hour" The
| home OF this gifted writer Is distinguished for
its sweetness and repose." How could 1t be
otherwise when presided over by this fair.
blue-eyed poet woman" whose sympathies and
interests radlate like u star to all points oi
individual and national interests"
Mrs. Mary Mapes Dodge has been more for
tunate In her biographer. Mrs. Runkle does
| not 90 into tho innermost corners OF Mrs.
| Dodge's life. but rather touches with clever
| tact upon the points Of most interest to the
public 1t is with her literary work rather
than with her personality that she deals. The
daughter Of Prof. James Mapes could not help
| being bright woman and being brought up
among the people whom her father chose for
his friends. her wits had no chance to dull.
Moreover. Mrs. Dodge is "an admirable house.
keeper" and she Is more than that. she is a
! "homekeeper." These are qualities too often
lacking in women Of q literary turn.
In writing OF Miss Clara Louise Kellogg. Mrs.
Spofford has a good deal to say about that dis.
tin guished singers parents. Her mother 10
| herself "one Of the most notable women OF the
| generation" and she Is the one most
thoroughly alive woman" Mrs. Spofrord has
ever met. Mrs. Spofford does not tell us much
| that is new about Miss Kellogg. except that.
when but months old. and yet in arms she
|
baby fancy" Upon the accuracy OF Miss Kel-
logg's musical ear. she lays deserved stress.
After gancinH over Miss Keilogg's career. she
sums up her personal traits. which those who
know Miss Kellogg best know to be true. One
| Is that she is totally without conceit" She
| never admits that she has done anything so
| well that 1t might not have been done better. "
She has never had q caprice: she is an en-
| bodiment OF conscience: she Is amability it.
self; she has carried on the stage II not In such
precise facts yet in their spirit the rearing OF
a Puritan girl. whose piano. before she went to
Now York. was closed on Saturday night and
not opened till Monday morning."
Mrs. Rose Terry Cooke has debt to pay Mrs.
| Spofrord and she pays 1t with no niggard
hand. The literary world OF the day "quivered
with new excitement" when Mrs. Spofrords g
story. In a Cellar" appeared in the columns
OF the Atlantic. 1t wanted to know who had
written this scintillation OF genius and cul-
ture." In the hands Of Mrs. Spofford the
English language became sonorous. gorgeous.
and burning" She poured out such luxury
OF image. such abundant and splendid epithet.
such dertvative stress. and such lavish color
and life that the stin old mother tongue seemed
to have been molten and fused in some magic
crucible and turned to liquid gold and gems" Z"
We think Mrs. Cooke has wiped out her debt to
Mrs. Spoford They are quits.
To Miss Maud Howe has fallen the congenial
task Of writing the biography OF her mother.
Julia Ward was precoclous child. and at sew
enteen was an anonymous but valued con-
tributor" to the Ne1 York Magazine. then a
leading periodical. Her first poem was written
at sixteen. and was entitled The Ill-cut Man
tle." With all her eagerness for study. she was
devoted to dolls. and she was almost driven to
ir m har mi ipth rtb do uhap har
en- darlings" were taken from her arms and
she was told that Miss Ward was too old to
play with dolls any longer" Music was an art
for which she showed an aptitude at an
early age. and her masters were SO much i'm
| pressed with her genius for musical compost
| tion" that she was urged by one OF them
to devote the greater part OF her time
| to Y. Her brother. Mr.. Samuel Ward. known
to his family as Brother Sam" and to the
world at large as Uncle Sam" who had been
pursuing his studies abroad. arrived home
"brimming over with the poetry. the romance
the music OF Germany" and. as might be sup.
| posed the advent OF this handsome brilliant
son, with his fine tenor voice." was a great
event in the Ward household. The brother and
sister sang together tho music OF the great
German composers. and always conversed in
| the language they preferred to all others
Mrs. Howe has always preserved this earl
| taste and to-day a well-worn volume OF Kan,
lies upon her writing table. and Is taken up by
her for half an hour every day. And she ha,
not forgotten her German songs either. for ir
the twilight hour when her grandchildren
gather about her at the piano and beg for q
song. 1t is often one Of the old Studentenlieder
learned all those years ago from Brother Sam
that the sweet. silver echo OF voice sings tc
thsm." When Mrs. Howe was a young woman
there was no lack OF suitors for her hand. bu
the father WAS somewhat stern man. - and deal
with all OF these summarily." After her father,
death. Mrs. Howe went to Boston, and ther,
she met DR.. Samuel G. Howe. who was "th,
most picturesque. and one OF the most promi
nent men OF that phalanx Of reformers which
came into the new world with the new cen
tury. and which won for Massachusetts tn,
place which she has until lately held undis
Puted of leadership in the thought and pro
gress Of the nation" This gentleman at onc
entered the lists and !" the prize for which h,
was all-worthy WAS won." Miss Howe tells III
the circumstance which moved her mother t,
write her best known poem. The Battle Hymn