Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1883-09-21

Gossip About Persons Whose Books
Have Been Read - Gail Hamilton 5
Love of Fine Clothes.

Gossip About Persons Whose Book
Have Been Read - Gail Hamilton
Love of Fine Clothes.
The literary women of Washingto
form some of the brightest light
OF the society of the capital. Som
of them write books. some magazin
stories, and some letters on fashion
and politics.
| GAIL HAMILTON
Abigail Dodge. which is her rea
name, is one of the strongest ant
most caustic political writer's in tn,
United States. She is a cousin O
Mrs. Blaine, and not her sister, as i.
generally supposed. She was /;
school teacher until she made name
for herself in a literary way. Mis-.
Gail is short in stature, and inclined
to stourness. She is by no means
Venus in either face or figure, but she
is as fond of dress as though she wa.
beauty personified. She keeps up will
the fashions and dresses in the most
advanced styles, though these are in
many cases not suited to her fast
advancing years. She is fond OF
flowing ribbons, big flowers, and
snowy clothes, and her taste il the
selection of colors is not the best.
Gail is very proud of her literary
reputation. She is very fond of So
ciety, and especially dotes on small
dinner parties. Here she can talk,
and she is nothing if not talking.
No woman in Washington has a
keener tongue than she, and no one
uses this weapon more mercilessly.
The same caustic sarcasm that comes
out in her essays spices her conversa-
ton. She wields masculine rather
than a feminine pen. Her criticisms
OF politics and politicians are we'll
paid for by the magazins and the
leading papers, and she has, I sup
pose, fair income therefrom.
THE AUTHOR OF ANNE"
Constance Fenimore Woolson is
now in Europe, but when at home
she spends much of her time at
Washington, and her new novel,
'Anne," which created such a sensa-
ton in Harper's Magazine year or
two ago, was penned in a little room
on New York avenue. She was two
years at work getting it ready for the
press. Some of the parts relating to
Heathcote's army life she wrote at
Harper's Ferry, where she spent the
summer. The localities described in
the book are descriptions Of the
country around Harper's Ferry, and
they were doubtless taken on the
spot. When she had finished the
story she revised it carefully and sent
it off with fear and trembling to
Harper's in pasteboard box, expect
ing to see it come out in book form.
The Harpers saw at once that it was
a good thing. and used it as a serial
for their magazine. When it was
concluded it was published as book,
and is now one of the best selling
novels on the shelves. Miss Woolson
is, l understand, a Cleveland girl.
She is related to the Benedicts, and
she is a niece of Fenimore Cooper,
after whom she takes her middle
name.
THAT LAAs O. LowRIEs.."
Frances Hodgson Burnett lives on
l street, two doors below the corner
brick house which Garfield occupied
when he was in Congress. 1t is a
three story brick of eight or ten rooms,
and in the attic is the room where
Mrs. Burnett writes those delightful
stories for which she finds an easy
market. The whole house is furnish
ed with aesthetic taste. Old rugs,
curious furniture, old weapons and
pretty brio brac are seen every
where. It is a comfortable home. and
I believe a very happy family lives
in it, for Mrs. Burnett is woman of
family. She has a black-eyed bru-
nette of husband, who is perhaps 35
years of age, and who looks like an
artist, tho ough he is in reality an eye
doctor. She has also two of the pret-
test little boys in Washington
blonde haired little fellows, who play
and laugh and shout in and around
Franklin Park from one end Of the
day to the other.
Mrs. Burnett herself is a blonde
very attractive and moderately good
looking. She dresses stylishly and
likes society. She goes a great
deal, and during the season she is
one OF the lions of the capital. She
entertains we'll herself. and delights
in giving little unconventional par
ties. At her Sunday evening recep-
tions. to which only her dearest
friends are invited, she ofen takes her
guests into her den in the attic. And
here, in the long winter evenings, they
sit around the fire and tell stories
turn about. Mrs. Burnett is very
fond of the drama, and she looks a
little like one of its favorite actresses,
Mary Anderson. She is, I under.
stand, writing another play, and she
was delighted with the representation
of "Esmeralda." "-[Correspondence
Cleveland Leader.
A QUEER KIND OF CHIcKEN.-Ir