The Portland daily press., 1895-07-15
CONCERNING GAIL HAMILTON.
In Literature and Society.


"Reminiscences by a Personal Friend oi
Long Standing.
For many years (writes CORRESPONDENT
of the New York Tribune) Miss Dodge
has been conspicuous figure in Washing.
ton, where she came early in the SOS tc
teach. For time she was on the staff
of the National Era When political for.
tune brought Mr.. Blaine to the capitol,
Miss Dodge became a member of his
household, and untillhis death spent her
winters there. Her presence was a
brilliant feature of social life and made
the Blaine drawing room literary center
something after the character of the
French salon. A man of letters of no
little prominence, speaking recently OF
Miss Dodge, said II remember calling at
Mrs Blaine's one Sunday afternoon.
shortly after Walker Blaine's death. They
were not receiving generally, and the
only stranger present, besides myself, was
Mr.. yelling, the president of Columbian
university, who recently died. Mrs.
Blaine. the secretary and Miss Dodge Se
were in the room. In my entire expert
ence do not remember being in more
intellectually stimulating atmosphere.
felt it the moment / entered. The very
air was charged with the electricity Of
thought on that Sunday afternoon and
Miss Dodge seemed to be the spirit of it
all. -
Miss Dodge is thought to be plain, She
certainly has no claim to mere physical
beauty. But her face is strong and SEN
| Slble, and in conversation, when 1t is lit
up with intelligence and sympathy, it has
a rare and indefnable charm which is ex-
tremely attractive. Between herself and
Mr.. Blaine there existed perfect SYM
pathy. Perhaps no one more thoroughly
more sincerely admired the great states.
man.
| Miss Dodge was born in Massachusetts
65 years ago. The last syllable of her
Christian name, Abigail, which has a
real Yankee flavor, and the name of the
town, Hamilton, in which she was born,
To- form m =, her literary ,pseudonyme, "Gail
laurels She has tried nearly every field
Of literature, from fiction to philosophy.
The book which created the greatest SEN
| sation was 'Woman's Wrongs, published
in 1868, in answer to Rev. DR.. John
Todd, who wrote series of rather senti-
mental articles on 'Womans Rights, -
at that time first beginning to be an alb
sorbing subject. In her reply Gail Ham
ilton used terse and vigorous Anglo Saxon
and the success of her little book made
Dr. Todd widely read and talked about.
The least successful of her books is a
novel, First Love is Best. 1t is full of
bright and clever things, but lacks move
ment and properly constructed plot,
which are as necessary to the success of
nOvnl 6infinn Tn, q h1,y,
preface Gail Hamilton apologies for
poaching on the novelist's manor, and
says the book was written when II hap
pened to be spending the winter weeks in
climate so wooing and winning that the
devout churchgoer had to dig through
five feet of snow at his own garden gate
on his way to the sanctuary. If any one
thinks that under similar circumstances
he can get more enjoyment out of less
mischief, should like to see him try. In
further apology-though no apology can
lower me SO deep into the Valley of
Humiliation as / wish to burrow-I will
add that my widest aspirations originally
touched no more than single chapter in
some gasping magazine; but
Who can contend with his lordsp'
and ladies'? 1 thought I was letting a
few fancies stray into snow bank and
there came out this calf! AS there is
now, on this 18th of April, only foot of
snow under the north wall, have no
further use of him. I therefore deck him
with ribbons and lead him forth t. sacri-
| fice-a free-will offering to all who are
| tolerant of veal -
| Gail Hamilton's first book was pub
llshed in 1862. Since then she has writ
| ten continuously. She has contributed
much valuable matter to the magazines
| and news -papers-no woman has written
with equal intelligence and understand
| ing of the subject on politics-and her
| labors have had handsome financial re-
| turn. For time, from 1865 to 1867, she
was one of the editors of Our Young
| Folks, children's magazine published
in Boston, which subsequently became a
part of St. Nicholas Gail Hamilton
seems to have had an especial sympathy
for children, and in this field was very
successful Some of her best work was
done in behalf of Mrs. Maybrick, in
whose welfare she took the deepest inter.
est and for whose pardon and release from
Woking prison she labored increasingly.
During one season of President Harri
sons administration Miss Dodge conduct
ed Bible class at the house of the secre
tary of state every Sunday afternoon. The
| Bible lesson was an intellectual feast,
and after it a material feast of tea and
cakes was served. The class was the out
come of a suggestion from Miss Dodge
| uIldu d loW DrlSHb duu cl0Vof people, WHO'LL
she knew to be deeply interested in the
study Of the Bible, should meet together
for common study and discussion. At the
first meeting Miss Dodge presided.
Recognizing her charm as teacher, hel
friends abandoned the original idea, and
she became their minister, for this title
is not too ambitious for the office she oc
cupied Her lessons were really sermons,
in the preparation of which she must
have exercised great care and thought
Few people have been fortunate enough
to preside over SO brilliant a circle.
Statesmen, philosophers, scientists,
scholars, diplomats of every sect and per-
suasion were among her hearers. When
the sessions of the class came to close
its members entreated Miss Dodge to have
the papers published. This was done fol
private circulation at first, the first edi-
ton consisting of only rs. Subsequently
the book, under the title ga Washington
Bible Class, - was generally circulated.
"The election of Paul and the election Of
the Presbytery' is dedicated to Mrs. Cop
pinger. the eldest daughter of Mr. Blaine,
who died soon after it was written. The
dedication reads "To the dead in Christ
in whom is life, to Alice Stanwood Blaine
| Coppinger, 1 dedicate this last essay,
which held her unclouded attention. Z"
In character and Judgment of human
nature Gail Hamil ilton is an optimist,