Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1896-10-08

have a photograph of herself taken.
If there ic picture of her in existence
it is as carefully and as jealousy
guarded as possible.
During her illness in Washington,
year ago, when it seemed that she was
sure to die, every effort was made to
procure photograph of her, without
success. She frequently protested
against the cry for the personalities
of the day, and, being unable to pro-
tect those for whom she cared most,
particularly Mr. Blaine, from PERSONAL
ity mongers, she was able at least to
keep herself completely hidden from
public view.
! 1t was stated at the time of her
last Illness that she had left some au
photographed data, and had intrusted
the publication to Mrs. Blaine. Judg-
ing from her general characteristics
however, this is very doubtful. There
are therefore absolutely no statistics
which may be given to recount her
life or literary achievements.
1t cannot be stated when she was
born, the only information vouchsafed
beig that she was born about 1890 at
Hamilton, Mass. Beyond this and
list of her books which are furnished
in any encyclopedia, there is absolute
| ly nothing of statistical information
to be had about her. She had, how
ever, many friends about Washington,
and the city is filled with recolections
of her character, of her work and Of
her distinct personality.
She lived long there Aside from
her having taught school in the Hart
ford high school in 1851 there is abso-
lutely little public record of her until
she came into notice in Wash Il ston
between 1865 and 1867 as one Of the
most vigorous writers of DR.. 53maliel
Bailey's National Era. She was at that
time governess in DR.. Bailey's fam
lily. Some one asked her some years
ago when she was born, and she said
she was born in the National Era and
had been brought up in the Atlantic
Monthly. She added to this statement,
however, that she had probably been
born about the same time in the indie
dependent, but as she was not twins.
she supposed that the National Era
work was the one which would have
to stand record. Continuing this
facetious recital of the birth of Gail
Hamilton, Miss Dodge said that this
notorious person probably lived most
VIGOROUSLY on the front cover of the
Young Folks, where as an associate
editor her name was persistently EN-
blaZoned.
She wrote great many books of
which it is useless to give a catalogue
here. Some of them presented old
convictions upon the woman question:
some of them were mere recitals of
travels and local impressions, and
some grew out of emergency situa-
tions, such as her famous battle of
the books, which was a controversial
quarrel with ner Boston publisher.
Probably the tenderest feeling
known to her centered around her old
New England home and its traditions.
In several published volumes she made
as much of this known to the public
as might have been done with proper
feeling; she sketched the people of
the country and the atmosphere as
tenderly and as lovingly as that rock
bound section of the country was
ever limned She had the same VEN
GRAFTON for all affairs of New England,
associated with its origin, that seems
to cling to its sons and daughters
wherever they may be.
n ri an rom hprS Miss nO1pn
as one of the most interesting of the
many public men and women who
passed the major portion of their life
there. She was not a handsome wo-
man, but there was brilliant air
about her which made her very attrac-
tive and noticeable in any gathering.
She had peculiar ideas upon the sub
iect of woman's clothes, and, while
she never affected outlaudish dress,
she never followed the fashions close
", but attired herself very modestly
and in line with her frequently eX-
pressed idea that woman's mind and
her personality should be more prom
inent than her face or clothes.
She was born on a small 4~rm, Of
which her father was the farmer. Her
mother, il SAID, was the ADLER mem
Der of the Dodge household, and to
her mother is given credit for the
making of the famous daughter 1t
was on the farm that she learned to
love the rough old rocks and brier-
hedge rows of New England and it
was here that she gained all of those
New England virtues which so indi-
vdualized her.
She was brilliant; she was forcible;
she was not unwomanly, and yet she
was not effeminate. She was inde-
pendent in all things. She had thrift,
eXecutveness, thoroughness; in fact,
she had all of those Puritan-hegotten
virtues which are expressed by nothing
so well and COMPREHENSIVE as by the
word faculty Philadelphia Press.