The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-08-18
Gail Hamilton May Have
fastened Death.
She Was Stricken Down on
Sunday Afternoon.
Remained Unconscious Until She
Passed Away at Night.


from the effects of paralytic shock.
Miss Dodge was stricken while at break
fast Sunday morning, and Immediately
became unconscious Medical aid was
at once summoned, and Miss Dodge re-
moved to her bed. but while every pos
sible means were adopted TO restore her,
she never regalned consciousness.
Miss Dodge had a similar shock while
in Washington about a year ago, but il
was thought that she had recovered
from IL entirely, although at times her
left leg and arm troubled her consider
ably
During the past few months Miss
Dodge was very much worried over the
publication Of her book, there being
considerable delay in getting out the
copies, while at the same time the de-
mand was large. Mrs. Richards, who
rursed Miss Dodge through her other
sickness, was called upon again Sun
day, and with Miss Augusta Dodge, and
other relatives, was at the bedside when
the end came.
DIR. Thayer, who was in constant at
tendance on the distinguished patient,
said last night that Miss Dodge had ac-
complished u great deal of work since
she recovered from her previous shock.
For the first time she had undertaken the
publication OF a book, her last writings.
THE Valley of Death" being printed in
the neighboring city of Salem. She had
not anticipated so great a demand for
the book as came in, having ordered only
1000 copies to be bound, 100 volumes at
time.
These were sent to the residence, where
Miss Dodge and her sister filled the
orders a nd mailed fha bonls This xvncIx
added to her many labors, and the in
tcnsely hot weather coming on made her
strength give out. On Tuesday and
Wednesday of last week she gave evil
dence OF suffering.
DIR. Thayer says IL Is remarkable that
she recovered her strength 20 completely
after the severity OF her previous shock.
II gave evidence of wonderful vitality.
Contrary to the impression made by her
brusquencss, toward those with whom
she came in contact, and from the tone
of her writings, Dr. Thayer says his pa
tient was as gentle and as patient as
any he had met with in his practice. and
that she was ever mindful of those
around her
Miss Mary Abigail Dodge. writer,
biographer. controversialist, widely
known under the pen name OF Gail
Hamilton, was a native OF the town in
which she died. having been born here
in 1890 At the age OF 10 years she went
To DIR. Clark's private school in Cam
bridge She was graduated from Ip-
switch academy at the age of 20. In 1851
she went to Hartford as assistant in the
Hartford high school. She refused to
take the customary examination, but
was given the position without doing SO.
She was also instructor in physical
science in this school for several years,
and was subsequently a governess In the
family OF Dr. Camallel Bailey of Wash
ington, the editor of The National Era,
TO which paper she became a contribu-
tor. In 1867 she was one of the editors
Of Our Young Folks, a magazine for
children. published in Boston.
From 1870 until ltle over a year ago
she had lived most of t. time with her
cousin. Mrs James G. siaine in Wash
ington. In course of this daily contact
with the Blaine family, Miss Hamilton
was led into very close friendship with
Mr. Blaine, and at the death of the lat
ter she became his literary executor,
being in possession of all his papers and
documents, OF value to her as his au-
thorized biographcr. She was engaged
nit on r:r. Blalne's biography ever since
his death until her sickness of last year,
and IL is thought that her untiring de-
votion to the work was instrumental in
bringing about that prostration. Since
that sickness, which came on so sud
denly in the Blaine mansion in Wash
ington that IL was thought at first she
was dead. many papers I'm the country
even published obituary notices OF her
then, Miss Dodge has lived very quietly
at her old home in Hamilton.
Her strength had never rallied after
that sickness. SO that she felt able TO re-
sumo active work, and she was for weeks
unable 10 sec even intimate friends but
during much OF the time she has been
able TO be driven about the town and
to entertain the friends who have called
upon her. Her literary work during
this time has been fragmentary. done
by the help OF an amanueLsis. as a di-
version, or when some current event
has specially attracted her interest.
Gail Hamilton was a frequent contrib
utor TO prominent magazines. and her
published works, written In a witty and
aggressive style, consist largely Of selvc-
tions from her contributions Her books
include: Country Living and Country
Thinking" Gala Days" New Atmos-
phere and Stumbling Blocks" "Skirm-
lshes and Sketches" RED Letter Days
in Applethorpe." and Summer Rest
Wool Gathering" "Woman's Wrongs"
"a Counter Irritant," Battle OF the
Rocks" "Woman's Worth and Worth
mess" Little Folk Life" Child
World" Twelve Miles From a Lemon"
Nursery Mornings" Sermons for the
Clergy" aud First Love is Best"
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