Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1894-05-06

whatever the others did, about the style
oil her clothes. Her head was hlisd
with beautiful thoughts; her eyes were
often lifted to the blue sky and the
waving trees overhead, and the practi-
cal aunt set her down as "a little senti-
mental chit" who would know better as
she grew older.
School was a great delight to Julia;
she grasped at knowledge with both
hands as little child would pluck
flower. Her teachers would all start
with surprise as the girl eutstripped
her classmates In all her studies.
At the age of nine she was studying
Paley's Natural Philosophy" with girls
of sixteen aud eighteen. She heard
class rsciting an Italian lesson and fell
in love with the soft, melodious Ian
guage. She got an Italian grammar
and studied it secretly, and one day she
handed the astonishe1 Italian teacher
letter written in that language, begging
that she might become a member OF the
class.
Mr.. Ward, Julia's father, was . man
OF severe aspect and reserved manner,
but great benevolence OF heart. he was
a successful banker and, finding her SO
promising a student, he gave her every
educational advantage. She grew up
10 womanhood, sober in manner and
absorbed in the more serious things
OF life. yet always ready with brilliant
flashes Of wit that broke like sunshine
through her gloomer moods. Once,
while on a visit 10 Boston, she heard
the, wonderful story OF the blind. deaf
mute girl, Laura Bridgeman, who had
been led out of darknessfnto the light
OF life and 10y by the efforts OF DR..
Samuel G.. Howe. Julia Ward saw DR..
Howe and thought him the most re-
markabe man she had ever met. He,
for his part, saw In her a youthful
prophecies, inspired and radiant. Ac-
quaintauce ripened into friendship and
friendship into love; so in 1S43 the two
were married.
Mrs. Howe's literary career had al
ready begun before her first baby was
born in Italy. At seventeen she had
published q review Of Lamartine's
"Jocelyn," an essay on the minor poems
of Goethe and Schiller and number OF
original poems. Her marriage inter-
rupted her literary work for some time,
bat she could not long be Idle. In 1853
she published her first volume OF poems,
passion Flowers" which attracted
much attention. The same year she
published Words for the Hour" and
q blank verse drama, which was
produced in Wallaek's Theatre, New
York, and afterwards in Boston. Since
her husbands death she has preached,
written and travelled much In all parts
OF the United States. Her lectures in
cude "Is Polite Society Polite?" and
Greece Revisited" In 1872 she went
to England TO lecture on arbitration as
a means OF settling all national and inter
national disputes. Her life has been
| and is still one OF ceaseless activity.
| Her home is In Boston, Mass, where
she is the center Of a circle OF literat,
which includes many OF the most bril-
| liant minds in America to-day.
Asa hostess and entertainer probably
Mrs. Howe is at her best; she is almost
worshipped by countless multitude OF
American women, and her home is a
shrine at which they pay willing homage.
She has been an ardent advocate OF wo-
mans progress for many years, although
she has not at any time allied herself
with the advanced and radical writer's
and thinkers of that school. She has
kind, mothery face, eyes tender,
vet full OF sadness. and mouth that is
capable of expressing every emotion.
Age sits on her very lightly and grace
fully, and when her enthusiasm iS kim
died, the years seem to fall off like a
veil, and she speaks and acts again like
the beautiful, inspired prophecies"
who charmed the hearts of those who
knew her 10 the earlier days.
BLANCHE ELLIOTT