Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1895-04-14
OUIDA is VERY ECCENTRIC.
DESCRIBED As a DECIDEDLY
PLAIN LOOKING WOMAN.
SHE IS A FAMILIAR FLORENCE
FIGURE - DRIVES OUT IN AN
EQUIPAGE THAT IS NEITHER
CARRIAGE NOR COUPE r. SHE
WEARS ORANGE coLoRs.

According to recent reports all the
Italian property OF 0ulda, the we'll
known novelist, has been sold to pay
her debts, and she is almost pennlless'
Probably no woman writer of fiction
of recent times has created moro food
FOR gossip and speculation than Louisa
dc Ia Rance, as she is called In prl-
waite life From some OF her books the
idea has gone abroad that she herself
Is the type that she loves TO portray
an impossible creature, half advent
uress. half angel and startlingly beau
tiful-the sort OF woman one does not
care for a relation. and yet would be
glad to meet on an ocean steamer or
anywhere else where time Is hard to
kill
Even her name has been a varying
quantity. She was born Louise Kane,
an English girl OF French extraction.
Then she tackled "e'' to the end Of the
surname, making IT Rance. Then she
prcilNod % de- and finally II became
"de Ia Rance" The origin Of her
pen name is uncertain. some say that
Il Is merely the French lnterjcctiOn
'oulda;" others tell a prettler story
10 the effect that the name was the
lirst lisping mispOnuunciution Of
baby niece Vino called her Aunt
Oulda" instead OF Aunt Louisa.
Descriptions of Dulda's person differ
considerably one man tells story OF
how, when walking with a friend ON
the streets OF Florence, he first saw
the authoress, AN equipuge, neither
carriage nor coupe, was approaching.
Tho turnout was quiet and admirable
In Its details. A stolid English coach-
man was the distinguishing feature
which marked II as the yOiture OF one
from the brumous isle. Look at the
lady whispered Mr. Graham 10 me,
as be made his courteous bow, while
the equipage halted that its occupant
might speak with him. The lady re-
ierrei 10 was certainly remarkable in
looks as we'll as IN costume She
seemed tall, very much above the usual
stature OF women. Her face was
marked 10y IA nose decidedly aqullme,
and abundant yellow hair The figure
was graceful and 1.-THE. But such cyes
Any adequate description Is us lmpus-
sihle ms % Is to put into words the
color of lightning flash, one moment
they were of topa2-bruwn. as inserut-
all" as those of Syhll, and In the next
second they We're uf a misty gray In
hue like the Mediterranean surface
when the Leyanter first begins to blow
IN uncertain ruiiiiug little gusts. The
face would have been pleasant
though very unusual one, hut Tor the
tDti". uneanny eyes. II was OuilH.'
Another describes her Hs n "decid-
eddy plain looking woman, past 90, who
uvcr-dres7es most shockingly"
Any suushiny afternoon for many
years past she was 10 he seen driving
along the Lung dAruo, according to
the best quoted authority. dressed in
an "rauge-colured bltIste, prutusely
trimmed with lace. About her shout
d'rs was usually thrown black gut
. pure mdntille oddly drawn up about
( the neck and falling far over the wrists
J anu hands. on her flowing, blcache1,
b uhuuy mass OF hair rested broad
pilmmeu nat OF tulle and lace, through
whose upen-Work brtm grotP7que shad-
oWs were thrown upon her face, The
bo'NEround To THIS startling makeup
I was q brougham of latest design, tufted
IN bright TURQUOISE blue satin,
4 Ihree huge Spitz dogs were her con-
atanl companions on these drives; and
ns Ahe proceeded through the streets
. more than one old Florentine had some
thlhE TO- tel of her eNtrav0ganoes aud
. pepuhartes. Lnees and stllettOs were
her passion; and of both she had %