, 1889-01-10
"THE DUCHESS"
The Identity Of a Famous
Writer of Popular Fiction.
How She Gained Great Fame
in the Literary World.
A Forger Hasbsnd Brings Her to Prt-
walton and want-Hsr Early ouf-
ferings-Who She %.
"Who IL the Duchessp"

wv no IA tue Duchessf
Since the day when Phyllis irst appeared
Ia The bookstaIls. and its impulsive, v hio-
sical, naughty, but altogether loseable.
heroine won her way into the great hsarS
of the public with her joys and woes. the
question has been one than which noss
olh-r pertaining 10 literary identity has
ever been 70 often upon the lips OF th6
readers Of popular fiction.
There have been answers OF course-ea-
tirely too many OF them, in fact, since the
varieties Of the replies has been alnost -
extensive a. the number Of those taxing u
upon themselves to solve the problem.
Of course only added to the zest With
which the true solution has continued 10
be sought for, for while the average maa
--or woman---may possibly drop an uudis-
putAd theory, IL only needs for one of .
different character 10 be propOunded to
awaken the tirst to renewed and vigorous
life.
IL has been said that 'sThe Duchess" il
Just what she signs herseif--a duchess In
fact AZ well as In name-but who, as =
member of the highest order Of British mo-
bility. leads a life entirely apart from that
which she devotes TO literary laOors. It
has been said, too, that "she Is he''-
otherwise that the feminine pseudonyn
conceals the identity OF a man. lt has
gone to the rounds OF the press that tho
original Duchess" wrote but two noyels.
and dying then. left the way open for A
enterprising imitator to assume her nom
de plume, copy her style and profit Hnaa.
cially upon borrowed fame.
WHAT AN AUTHORITY SAYS.
:. A variation Of this theory is that. while
"Ouchesaes, both are now living and at
work, the spurious scribbler being permit
ted to continue in her wrong. doing be-
cause of the dislike OF the original bearer
of the title to the citysw hich must
necessarily attend any attempt to seek
legal redress. The supporters of this tho
ory number not few. and there ia not ons
of them but who has his or her duchess"
series assorted into two groups, and whs
confidently presents one set. composed of
those volumes which have appealed most
strongly to the owners taste. as the work
of the ''Simon Pure" novelist. Only no
two of the supporters of this theory make
the assortment exactly alike.
Finally 1t has been con6dentislly an
nounced that there 10 now IN existence q
regular duchess" syndicate, composed
of the original writer, associated with .
number of clever but unknown literary
workers who, pursuing the same methods,
manage together to turn out AN amount OF
individual, but all of which finds ready
and profitable sale on the strength Of the
popular name.
As to tue actual name OF the authoress
one set OF the theorists havo positively as.
serted it to be Mrs Maggie Angles, while
another set. with equal positiveness, have
! insisted that it is Mrs. Margaret Hunger
ford. The authority therefor is found in
Cushing's initials and Pseudonyms, or
Dictionary OF Literary DisRuises," pub
HOW SHE GAINED FAME.
"The Duchess" when the name first
came into public notice on the title page
of Phyllis" was Mrs. Maggie Angles,
whose entrance into the literary field is
said to have been brought about by the
pressure OF actual necessity. According
to the somewhat romantic story appertain-
ing to this portion of the lady's career.
she is said to have been reduced TO the ut
most privations by the arrest, conviction
and imprisonment of her first husband,
Angles, for forgery. No other means OF
Obtaining livelihood appearing, sha
turned in despair to literature, and after
season of privation and suffering, endured
while her first novel, phyllis" was being
prepared for publication. stepped, immed-
lately upon its appearance. into comfort
and sudden fame. Book followed book az
time went by. all under the pseudonyIn
which had become 80 suddenly great, but
the actual name of the authoress after a
few years was changed from Angles to
Hungerford, through second marriage.
Thus simply is disposed of the dispute as
TO the literary houors of Maggie Angles
and Mrs. Margaret Huueerford.
To-day 1.-The Dncness," when not in
London. lives in beautiful home iu Ire
land, purchased by the proceeds of her
own prolific pen. and is known far and
wide as the charming Mrs Hupgerford''
among host of friends and acquaintances,
many of whom are said to be still ignorant
OF her identity with the brilliant author
ess whose works lie upon their shelves
and tables. She has family of interest
ing children, to whom she is devoted, and
10 said to be so sensitive upon the sub.
ject OF her literary labors that she never
willingly says word TO indicate that
she has ever written q line for pubica.
ton. As matter of course. considering
the painful circumstances connected with
her first marriage, she Is extremely
averse to speaking of this also, froA
which reticence upon her part doubtless
arose much of the confusion as to her
identity.