The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1893-02-13
WOMEN OF LETTERS,
Jersey City Ladies Invited
To Send Exhibits To
Chicago.
THEIR PERSONALITY AND WORK.
Two of Them Won Distinction
on ''The Jersey City News"
-Novelists, Poetesses,
and Journalists.
Peter Heuderson's Brilliant Daugh-
ter-Mrs. Erminnie A. Smith
Remembered-Mrs. Ettie
Henderson.

In recent Interview with Mrs. Martna
B. Stevens, State Commissioner for the
Woman's Exhibit at the Chicago Fair,
published Ill THE JERSEY CITY NEWS,
mention was made of State Committee
on literary work of women. Mrs. Margaret
T.. Yardley. of East Orange, Chairman.
ana call issued for women writer's to
send samples of their work to the Chair
man for exhibition at the Chicago Fair.
TIE coL4mittee has inst commenced
operations in Jersey City and, although
rather late in the day-Essex has thirty
writer's enrolled already-there is every
prospect that Hudson will not go unrep-
resented.
Mrs. Yardley has written to number
of our prominent literary workers, AK
inr, in the words of her letter, for two
copies of any books you have written, for
we wish 20 form a library in the New
Jersey State Building; also the best of
any short stories you may have written,
whether On blished or not: prose or poetry,
for the New Jersey Scrap Book" This
book will be published as soon as certain
counties can be heard from.
MRS. FIsKE IN CHARGE.
For further information, intending con-
tributors are referred TO Mrs. Lyman
Flske, of this city, now staying at Tay-
Ior's Hotel Mrs. FisKe is a personal
friend of Mrs. Yardlsy aud has consented
to assist her In reaching the authors OF
this city, with many of whom she is per-
soually acquainted. Residents of long
standing need no introduction to Mrs.
Fiske, who WAS identified with every
movement for literary and social advance
ment until the long and finally fatal ill
ness of her husband. Her sou, Mr.. VIII
lard Fiske, is we'll known citizen. and
another son, Harry, is the euItor of the
New York Dramatic Mirror. His wife
1t may be remembered, was formerly Miss
Minnie Madden. who. sincs her retire.
ment from the stage, has won well-de-
served fame as author and playwright.
AIRS. Lyman FisKe was formerly meni-
ber OF the Aesthetic Society, the unique
organization founded and lnaintained by
Mrs. Erminnie A. Smith. aud famous the
country over ten years ago She is
Sorosis member of long standing, and iu
every sense, clear sighted progressive
woman of the Twentieth century. Add
to this manner at once attractive and
sympathetic, and executive ability as
rare as it is Invaluable, aud it may be
understood how well adopted she is for
such position.
But it l.ust be understood that manu-
scripts or publications are not TO be sent
10 Mrs Fiske, but to Mrs. Yardly, at
East Orange. Mr.. Fiske simply for
wa,ds to the latter, names of writers that
come TO her attention, with Information
as to their work, aud explains points not
clearly understood to those to whom nc
tificatfons have been sent. Ii any reader
of this paper knows the name and ad-
dress OF any woman writ er, it will confer
favor upon Mrs. Fiske 10 mail the in
formation to her. that she may forward
it to East Orange. Her address Is Tay-
lor's Hote'.
MRS. ERMINNIE A. SMITH.
Tie first name upun the list is that OF
Mrs. Erminnie A. Smith, whose name
still lives, although for nearly seven
years it has been grayed upon simple
headstope in New York Bay Cemetery.
This wonderful woman-for that she was
so, no one WAS ever, found to dispute
stood iu the first rank of American scien-
tists her eminence recognized and
houored the world over. A native of
little village near Syracuse, her scientific
Investigations began among the lime
springs near her home in which she would
tasten beech leaves to receive the spark
ling incrustations. Some of these leaves
were in her cabinet at the time of her
death, part of the finest private collection
in the State. Her education Was begun
at the famous Emma Willard school for
girls, at Troy, and with the father of ex-
President Arthur as tutor, and continued
to the day of her death, by her eager
longing for learning of whatever kind.
She married Mr.. Simeon Smith OF this
CITY. and when her four sons were old
enough, took them to Fretborg, Saxony,
to continue their education, herself enter
ing the School of Mines, the only woman
student. In this and subsequent journeys
she studied ut Strasburg, Heidelburg,
Oberstein and Samland, on the Baltic, for
the study of amber. As linguist and
philologist her talents were SO marked
that the United States Government ap-
pointed her to make p study OF the folk
lore and dialects of the 1roquois Indians,
now fast disappearing. On this expedi-
ton she was adopted into the Tuscarora
tribe and given the name "Kat-cit-ci-sta-
kwast," Beautiful Flower" This work
resulted In !. dictionary OF the Tuscarora
Language with synonyms of the other
five tribal dialects. upon which she was
ut work at her death, and which, even in
its incom plete state, is monument to
her memory.
She was the only woman Fellow of the
Smithsonian Institute. the New York
Academy of Sciences comforting like
honor upon her ''for eminent scientific
atlainments." Among the other societies
in which she was prominent member,
were the Antiquarian Society OF Phila-
delphia, the Anthropological Society OF
London and the Anthropologicol Society
of Washington. Her greatest work for
Jersey City was in the formation and
maintenance of the Aesthetic Society
which brought to Jersey City Matthew
Arnold. Boyesen, Emily Faithful. Bjeo-
regard, Gerald Massey. Prof. Hyatt, in
fact almost every celebrity within travel
ling distance The society depended
solely upon the magnetic personality OF
this one woman, and died ,sdt with her. Il
was in the latter part OF 1850 tnat tne
writer accompanied her to Sorosis meet
ing where she was to read a prize essay.
AS the applause broke forth at its close,
she fell back half unconscious. terrible
hemorrhage from the nose giving her
temporary respite from apopiexy- This
was the beginning OF the end. Early in
1886, hundreds OF her friends followed her
to the grave.
MRS. Is0BEL H. FLOYD.
Another author to receive notification
is Mrs, Isobel Henderson Floyd OF the
Heights, best known as the author of
Stolen America" novel which ran
through several editionsa couple Of years
ago. Its scene Is laid III Bermuda, lis
purpose, to prove that the possession of
The island should be for America, not
England, % Incidentally, TO tell grace