The morning call., 1893-05-28
CHARLOTTE P. STETSON.
4 WRITER WHOSE WORK HAS BEEN
HIGHLY PRAISED BY HowELLs AND
WAR,fI.Y ADMIRED BY HOLMES.

WRITER WHOSE WORK HAS BEEN
HIGHLY PRAISED BY HowELLs AND
WARMLY ADMIRED BY HOLMES.
Mrs. Charlotte Perkins stetson. whose name
as an au horess is so intimately connected win
California, was born al Hartford. Connecticut.
She is 4 great granddaughter Of Dr.. Lyman
Beecher and niece OF Edward Everett Hale.
Doub less Mrs Sletson inherits from the
Beecher family good deal Of her ability as
public speas er, and also her enthusiasm IN any
cause which she considers one OF reform.
Few women OF Mrs. SietsOn's culture owe
less 10 school life than she does. During her
childhood and giTlhOod the family moved nine
teen times. 10 each case 10 a different city.
The consequence Of this migratory existence
was constant change OF school Tor The chill
dren.
Mrs. Stetson is ii the habit OF declaring that
she never had more than four years schooling,
and those four years were divided between
eleven different schools. Home culture and
influence, however, are graf educators, and IL
was 10 her mothers instruction thai she owed
most OF her knowledge.
Like the majority of gifted children little
Charlotte Perkins was an omniyoFOus reader,
deyouring everything from scientific tresiises
10 plays and novels. Al the age OF fifteen, how
ever. she began TO realize thai It was better TO
read little ana think great deal"
Il was at about this age. too. that she decided
10 make art her profession, and after studying in
an excellent school OF design she devoted her
s-lf 10 teaching drawing and 10 painting flower
pictures, whien found ready sale.
Her life was very busy oae previous 10 her
marriage, aad although she found time 20 write
alitil- it was never with any idea OF following
literature as a profession. Writing was more
an unconscious form OF expression for Mrs.
Sietson. and she stiIl declares that she would as
soon express an idea with the pencil as with
the pen.
During her married life she wrote but little.
In November, 1885. howev-r. she came West
for her health. The four moths spent among
the roses and orange trees of Pasadena. in the
constant cnmnaniunsllip Of Grace Ellery Chan
ming. aroused MIS-. StetSOn To a new interest in
life and in literature. Mrs. SJetson had no ida
of making literature her profession when she
turned her sleps westward She had lived
before by her pencil, and she Intended TO live
by it again. Great was her disappointment,
therefore, 10 discover that the nervous afIec-
lions from which she was suffering rendered
any kind of drawing or painting impossible
Again and again she tried TO sketch the
flowers that grew so profusely round her Pasa-
dena cottage. but her health refused 10 stand
The strain. Denied this means of expression,
and OF maging living, Mrs. StetsoH fell back
upon her pen. i was fortunate for California
literature that she did So for almost from the
first her work found recognition.
''SimIar Cases" published in March, 1890,
was copied more or less by every newsPap-r in
this country. Germany md England. HoweIls
has said of ii, I'VE have had nothing since the
Bigelow Papers half so good in good cause"
Oliver Wendell Holmes is reportd 10 have
worn out "a copy of similar Cases" by carrying
il constaniiy iy about in his breast pocket.
The Yellow Mall Paper" published IN The
New England MAGAZINE Tor January. 1892, is
a study of incipienI Insanity that is weird and
haunting in lis simple but Intense realism.
"The ODSlacle'' is 4 poem that has been much
eopisd. Ojher wekuOwn works by Mrs. Stet-
son are ''The Survival of tile FuteSt," Society
| and the Baby" and "a Conservatiy~."
Mrs. Siejson has very pronounced views upon
| certain social questions. and she declares that
| il she ever writes novel it viii be novel
with a purpose, and she adds empb2lieahy THE
| purpose will be bigger than the novel;
Mrs Stetson left her little cottage in PaSa-
dena and settled ID Oakland in order that she
might have better medical advice for her IN
valid mother. The husbands application for a
divorce. which has recently excited much COM
menI, was little more than an amieabe agree
M nj on both sides to separate.
Mrs Sfetson is possessed OF a very strong in-
diydualsm. As a public speaker her striking
app +arance commands immediate attention. One
could almos be tempted TO pronounce her a
picture by Dante Gabriel Rossetti stepped out
from its frame. she is fortunate. too, in the
ringing quality and carrying power of her voice.