National Republican., 1886-01-02
or1pA IN HER HOME.

Ouida since her unhappy love affair with
the Marquis Of Stuia, member OF one Of
the Oldest Florentino families, lives much
in retirement About two miles from
Florence stands her beautiful villa, crown
ing one of the graceful hills IL is italian
in style. The yinc.clad piazza commands
charming view Of the picturesque city,
the winding waters OF the Arno, the stately
Duomo, Michael Angelo's inspiration when
he dreamed to rear the sublime dome OF
ST. Peters; Santa Crocc, the Westminster
Abbey of this land; aud general scene OF
loveliness unsurpassed perhaps unequalcd,
by any in the world.
Here, for weeks at q time, she shuts her
self up, close prisoner, though not com
panionless, rs her cats and dogs are with
her. No more curious and complimentary
visitors; no more evening drives to the
Cacine and along the glittering Arno Re
Gently she has said OF love and women;
"1he latter arc the exact autipodes OF
olives; the one begins in salt, and leaves
us pleased with the delicious aroma; the
other is nectar to commence with, but how
soon they turn into very gall. Nine times
out of ten woman does not care a rush
for man who is dying at her feet, while
she is crazy about some ugly brute who
takes no more notice Of her than he does
Of his dirty boots"
But we return to her romance with the
marquis, promising that Ouida had always
thereuntO vHlorously boasted superiority TO
the absurd weakness Of love Yet the
marquis; he possessed literary tastes, artistic
refinement, passionate energy. Despite
her resolutions, she was interested in that
courteous gentleman. Friendship soon
arose, then, on Oulda's part, the mightier
sentiment, love--her first love-thc love OF
q maiden Of forty summers. Late, but
strong, like the storms Of the latter sum
mer. The marquis admired the writer,
intellectually; he trined with the woman,
Yea, more and more; he devoted his heart
TO fair italian, far less brilliant, yet young
and beautiful. From this affair originated
the novel of "Friendship,n wherein the mar
| quis is q very weak character, "intlrm OF
| purpose like Hamlet, but resembling the
melancholy prince only in that quality OF
| inilrmity.
There is mystery about ouida. She
| knows so much OF things whereof women
are generally supposed to be entirely igno-
| rant. How can she so well describe camp
| life, clubs, barracks, gambling houses, and
other wonderful places forbidden TO her
sexP Once the question was plainly asked
Of her. Thus she answered, first leaning
her head on her knees, looking straight at
the demandant, with provoking smile,
then, saucily: at is none of your busl-
nessr' Her real name is Louise de Ia
Rame. French her father, English her
mother, her tastes are French, her features
English. Fair and oval her face; eyes deep
blue, large, expressive; hair golden brown;
height slender and graceful. Lately, over
coming her habit of secluson, she is some
times In the public air, driving aud walking,
especially from April to Octoberis out very
often. In the afternoon, from 2 TO @, is
her favorite time Of freedom. She drives
herself. A couple Of pet dogs accompany
her. In fact these are her constant attend
ants; eating or reading, in pensivc or writ
ing mood, her canine friends are by her
side. For these friends, when they happen
to require II, she has burying place In her
garden. There, with tenderness not al
ways accorded to human beings, they are
laid to rest. Amonument of marble has been
erected TO her favorite st. Bernard, Isla, in
scribed, less misanthropically, but more
pathetically, than Byron's famous lines on
Boatswnin.
Up at in summer, in winter, is ouida
Her writing Is chiefly done in the cold sea
son, but at all hours, taking the pen only
when the mood moves her. At the age oi
4 she wrote in printing characters n child't
story; II she commenced authorship earlier
she cannot remember.
Her father was q man Of rare genius
which, somehow, he wasted IN dreams O
Utopian political felicity. BY him she was
trained TO habits OF masculine modes o
thought. Love of study, SO early begun
has never left her; she adds to this grea'
cleverness, TO say the least OF II, I'm paint
ing, both In oil and water colors, aud he
, favorite subjects are her own household
J pets. No landscape Of hers without doI
or cat, sometimes q horse. Before her low
/ affair she held receptions on Fridays. Sh
J | wore black velvet. The refreshments wer
simple-tea, coffee, wine, cake, also cigar
} ettes. 0uida did not smoke, did not drink
, Lively and interesting in conversation eh
expresses her opinions unreseryedly, tn
/ same in society as in her books.
/ Ouida's description of woman's creates
charm is as follows "The greatest charm
that woman wields over man Is the charm
of divinity-tbe charm of sex; and half thi
charm has flown when Christina Of Swedel
! wears her Hcssian boots and smacks he
whip; when her imitators Of to-day enter
/ salon with weeds In their mouths, ant
, swing through the stable yard, talking in
loud, rough voice, Of dogs with goo'
strain"
, The singular name, Ouida, is corrup
/ tion from babyland Of her baptismal cogno
l men, Louise, us Boz was of Dickens. He
l earliest writings were short stories for tn
: English magazines. For these she wa
Q exceedingly glad and proud to get 6
page. "lleld In Bondage her first move
4 CHANGING to be seen by Mr.. j b. Iippincot
9 so struck the fancy Of that gentleman by II
= book, Every one thought It, judging b
, the title work on slavery. Only 81
| copies were sold. Still the publisher
faith continued, and he gave her mex
Q book to the world. II proved decide
s success Thus encouraged he reissue
"Held in Bondage" but under the MOI
!, attractive title Of "Granville de Vigne.
q This prospered. All her subsequent work
a Lippincott has published, paying her gel
d erous royalty. In England, for each boo
4 she writes, she receives $1,000.