The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1890-03-09


cuArr,NOoGA. Tom, March Augusta
] Evans Wilson isa native Of Columbus, Ga,
and is closely connected By blood 10 some OF
the oldest families in that state. She has
lived for many years in Alabama. Her first
novel, a stirring and romantic story was
"Inez. a Tale Of the Alamo written with
mafured force and facility, when she was
mere Girl "Beulah, "Nacaria, st limo
followed, and she soon won her distinguished
nlece i'm American letters for the power OF
her style. her vivid portraiiure and her deep
learning ON scientific and classical subjects.
She was eagerly and widely read, and many
a campfire in the southern borders shed It's
Pickering light over "a rapt circle OF listeners,
ms some hronzod soldier read "Macarian aloud
10 his comrades. The war copy Of that novel
was printed on the blank or wrong side OF
wall paper. and shared the soldiers admira-
ton with similarly printed copies Of Louisa
Muhlbach's novels and les Miserabies the
latter. called by the soldiers Lees Miser-
ablcs.n with an irony born Of their own fate
and surroundings After long silence Of fir
teen years. If mistake not. Mrs Wilson pub
lished "At the Mercy of Iiherius," her best
and strongest novel. She has never written
short stories.
In Aldcn's compilation Of famous short
stories written by American women be was
forced to use the trial scono from AT the
Mercy Of Tiberiusn TO illustrate Mrs. Wilson's
sfvle. Augusta Evans Wilson is the wife Of
Col Wilson Of Mobile, leading citizen and
man Of culture. / met her first In her home,
Just outside of that Florence Of the south.
Her home is spacious, luxurious, with many
windows and doors and wido plazzas She
has q fancy for white things about her. Her
house is white. her domestic animals and
fowls are white aud snowy flowers of all kinds
abound i'm the grounds. There are long ave
nues OF white camelias blooming, not on
shrubs. ms usually seen, but ON large trees
planted in wide walks or avenues My atten-
ton was called 20 perfumei camella iapon
lea. THE fragrance was indeed percepuole
and great novelty, as the camella iaponica
has often been alluded 20 as the flower that
would be absolutely perfect with perfume,
but no other fragrant one has ever been heard
Of. and Mrs Wilson is very proud OF the pos
session. She is q charming hostess, simple,
easy hosptabIo She never alludcs 90 her
literary life. but when asked about 10 talks
I freely Of the pleasures she has found in her
creations Her husband delightsin her genius
and reputation. and keeps the manuscripts of
her novels, written iD "A singularly bold and
clear band. bound richly like sumptuOls al
buns, in his own special care. The couple
have 10 children; children by Col. Wilson's
first marriage have grown % honorable ma
tuiity under their sfepmother's wise and lov-
ing care Mrs Wilson, now woman well
on in years is "a very sweet, moiherly looking
person, with countenance in which beueyo.
lence and intellectual beauty blend harmOni-
ousy
Madam Octavia Walton Lo Vert I'm the
midst of the hustle of flour mills, the steam
of breweries. the whirr of cotton factories,
there stands on the banks Of the canal in Au-
gusta. Ga, an old gray, weather beaten
house stranded like a wrecked ship, disman-
tied and useless 10 was once "a lOrdly man
sion. i'm the center of "a large aud h0urishing
plantation, the home Of George Walton, one
of the sieuers of the Declaration of indie
pendencc, and the birthplace of his illus'rious
granddaughter, Octavia Walton Le Vert
Her early girhood was spent in Pensacola,
Fla. where her father acted for a time as
governor Of the territory. Miss Walton was
a fine scholar particularly well versed boo
languages Sine translated for her father
many valuable papers from the Spanish and
French into English. She was a life long
friend Of Washington Irving, whom She met
accidentally in a stage when she was travel
ing in Alabama n the year 1882. In 1888 and
1884 She spent the winters in Washington.
There sine was keenly interested in public
matters, SO much SO that she made 10 q habit
To take notes of the debates i'm congress and
afterwards copied them In full reports. These
were so clear, so accurate, that the leading
men-Clay, Calhoun, McDuilie, Webster and
Prest0u-0ften referred 10 them.
She married while quite young Dr. Henry
lie Vert, of Mobile. and soon became the ruiz
ing spirit there i'm society and letters. So
great was her influence and SO highly valued
was her judgment on an subjects Of litera-
ture, art and the drama, that DO became The
custom for her To- signify from her private
proscenium box her approval Of an actor or
actress by leaning forward and throwing "a
laurel wreath on the stage. Then as Madam
/ Le Vert approved the house would burst
into admiring applause She Travelled extern
s.yely i'm Europe, and wrote very fresh and
entertaining sketches, gathered into book
called Souvenirs of Travel" She contrib
uted widely 90 English and American peri
odcals, and bad the friendship and encour-
agomont of Lamartno and other men Of
| genius Above an her gifts the one that
most distinguished Ter was her uniailng
amiability and tact. Sine was never known
90 make "a di-agreeable personal criticism, or
/ TO wound any ones feelings. She was a ver-
/ table human sun dial She reflected and
marked only tho bright and shining things
OF iiie Her latter days were spent in New
/ York city, where she frequently gave small
select readings and entertained IN a quiet
way her literary and artistic friends in her
apartments al the Coleman Her two daugh-
tiers were with her at that time Nita mar.
riod a Mr. Reguyle Reab, of Augusta. Ca,
and did not live more than o year on two.
leaving her husband one little SON. Oc.ovia
has only recently died. IN Augusta, after
many years Of physical suffering, for she
was both lame and blind
And next, Winnie Davis ] first met this
/ lovely personifcation of southern womauho0d
alta dinner party 40 Mrs b. II. Hills given in
honor OF ex-President Davis at the time of
the unwilling of the Hin monument in At
lanta- IL WAS a cerem0nious dinucr-al the
/ guests We're in full evening dress. For some
reason Miss Davis trunks failed 10 be deliv-
cred in time, and declining 10 keep tine guests
waiting. She insisted on appearing in her
travelling dress. A lovely figure she made in
her simple dark cloth dress, band OF linen
at the throat, her rich chestnut hair in a low
I coil at the back of her head. She rs tain. well
nodded. Her ewes are very frank and sweet.
! biue-gray in color; her complexion the real
magnolia leaf tint; features strong, expires
sion full Of light and variety She is an easy
and original talker, showing a wide acquoint-
ance with all matters of public interest as
well as literature Her writings i'm The North
/ American Review and other periodicals. and
IN her tribute TO Robert Emmett. called "An
/ Irish Knight Of the Nineteenth Ccnturv.n all
bear witness 20 the power aud iluency Of her
style she is warmly loved i'm the south. and
many az the poets of her land have SUM
sweet songs 10 honor her loveliness of person
and character MEL H. COLQUur
FROM PRENTICE MULFCRO.
Ills Experience with san Francisco Inter
viewers.
Especial Correspondencel