Huntsville gazette., 1892-11-12
IN WOMAN'S BEHALF.
MRS. w. K. CLIFFORD.
Different Popular Books That She Has
Written-Her Finished style.

Different Popular Books That She Has
written-Her Finished style.
Mrs. w. X. Clifford, author of Mrs.
Keith's Crime" etc, and the newly
published novel, "Aunt Anne" is the
daughter of Mr.. John Lane, whose
father was once well known in the
Island of Barbados, where he was at
one time speaker of the house of assem-
bly,. From early girlhood Mrs Clifford
wrote stories and verses which easily
found place in magazines and news
papers. She also wrote novel in those
early days. which, after she became a
widow in 1879, she partly rewrote and
enlarged and published anonymously
under the name of 1.-THE Dingy House
at Kensington." In 1875 she married
Mr.. w. X. Clifford, f. r. S., but in less
than four years she was left widow
with two little girls.
1t seems scarcely necessary to men,
tion the fact that Mr.. Clifford was con-
sidered one of the greatest mathema-
ticians in Europe, and his premature
death left blank which is even yet un-
filled in the scientific world. He took
his degree at Trinity college, Cam
bridge, was second wrangler in 1867; on
authority of Prof. Sylvester, might
easily have been first had he chosen. :"
He was made Fellow of his college in
1858, and he was member of that
learned society known at Cambridge as
The Apostles. In 1871 he was appointed
to the Chair of Applied Mathematics at
University college, London, and eight
years later his brilliant career was
closed by death. He was then only
thirty-three years old. A public testi-
monial was about to be presented to
him in recognition of his great services
to science, ETC., but as he died before its
form had been decided the money sub
scribed was invested for his widow and
children; and year later pension on
the civil list was awarded to Mrs. Cliff
ford also in recognition of the work
that had been done by her distinguished
hus band.
Soon after she became widow Mrs
Clifford took to writing as profession,
and she is now a contributor to many
of the leading newspapers, reviews and
magazines. In 1881 volume from her
pen called children Busy" was pub
lished by Wells, Gardner & Co. OF this
popular little book 81 900 copies were
sold the first year, and it was promptly
translated into German, Dutch and
Italian. Anyhow Stories," illustrated
by Miss Dorothy Tenant, came out in
1882, and this quaint and original title
volume proved to the full rs popular as
its predecessor. 'Mrs. Keith's Crime"
which appeared anonymously in 1885.
made distinct sensation in the literary
world. 1t was SO absolutely unconven-
tional, and so full of the rarely revealed
tragedies of the heart, that it appealed
to thousands of readers for whom the
ordinary love story and the sensational
romance have no attraction, and it was
truly said of it by one of its critics that
it seemed as if it "were written with
the hearts blood of the author"
''Love Letters of Worldly Woman"
came out in one volume last year; and
in January, 1892, the first chapter of
"Aunt Anne" appeared in Temple Bar.
Mrs. Clifford, unlike the majority of
popular writer's, gives no hasty and un-
finished work to the public; and she
deserves the highest possible common
dation for thus keeping up the dignity
of literature. One may not always
agree fully with her analysis of charac-
ter, but he must always admire and re-
spect an author who looks upon her
readers as worthy of the best that she
has to give.-Chicago Tribune.