The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-08-08
FIRST WOMAN'S MAGAZINE.
PUBLIsHED BYL0WBLE MIL GIRLS
AND EDITED BIZ MRS. DONLBVT.


Earet Eniier. Bmerson, whittier. and Lang
f-eiiew-nasazinos OF the Nay All Pictures.
Mrs. Harriet Farley Donlevy IL believed by
her friends TO have been the first woman to edit
o magazine In this country. She IL now q sweet
faced old lady, with q clear pink complexion
and hair like white silk floss. when seen in the
psrlors Of the Home Hotel and asked to talk OF
her experiences, she said:
at was believed at the time I began that was
the first woman to edit q magazine. That was
before Mrs. Sara j. Hale took editorial charge OF
Godcv's Ladies' Book or Miss Cornelia Walter
began to assist her brother. who was a consump-
tive, in his editorial writing and the manage
mont OF the Boston Transcript. Mrs. Hale,
though much older and moro experienced than
/, always spoke OF me as the first woman maya |
zine editor. At that time she was considered a
very well informed woman. and I never cared
enough about my claims to distinction in that
particular to verify her statement.
The magazine l founded and edited was the
Lowell 0GerinO. It was issued by tho Improve
ment Club OF Lowell. Mass, a literary associa-
tion composed entirely OF mill girls, Of which I
was a member. The Offering FIRST appeared in
the early thirties as a sinele-sheet paper in an
edition OF 3 5000. This edition was sold imme-
diately, and we issued a second, q third. and a
fourth edition in q very short while. Then We
thought it would be Il good plan to try for
another issue: so we did 1t, and after a short
time-I have forgotten exactly how long
another sheet was sent forth and sold
as rapidly as the first. We went on
in this way. publishing sheets at irregular
intervals whenever the materials could be coll
lected until 1s40. At this time, as we had ac-
quired considerable experience and the Offering
had a wide circulation. we decided on q monthly
issue In magazine form. This continued for
more than ten years. and had not only a good
circulation in this country. but In England and
France also. You must remember that papers
and magazines were not 80 numerous in those
days as now, and women writers were looked
upon as curiosities. The Lowell Offering was
not only q magazine written and edited entirely
by women. but most OF those women were mill
girls. which made 1t a double curiosity and al
most a marvel.
In 1880 the Democrats anne into power, and
that was indirectly the cause OF my leaving
Lowell and giving IN the management OF the
Offering. With the advent Of the Democrats
the high tariff was reduced, and OF course the
wages in the mills were cut. Before that time
high wages had prevailed, and girls from all
over New England sought employment in the
mills; that Is, all those who cared to stay at
home. for many preferred going South as gov
erncsses in the families OF rich planters. OF
course when / say the wages in the mills were
high l mean by comparison, for then women re-
ceived very little monev for their work. l can
remember distinctly whom my mother paid only
as cents a week for q frst-class nurse maid.
In the mills our hours were much
longer than now. The waking bell sounded
at 4:3O o'clock in the morning and
at five every one was standing at her ma
chine ready to begin work. We had a half hour
for breakfast, another half hour for dinner. and
stopped work at z o'clock In the evening. We
had never heard Of the short-hour movement
e enf. T Then P @any q t ihSp Eiyrl sr lef, S oSf T shefs pi %scs
were flled by Immigrants or New England girls
with less education and ambition. 1t was at
this time that / gave up the management OF the
L LR well Gs en- E and anne net to New York to do
He objected TO my working. SO l devoted my
time TO assisting him with his Inventions:
on magazine, besides being a financial sue
eess. was the means OF Introducing the member
OF the improvement Circle to many Of the ia:
ment from the first and later becoming regular
s snnts, Us was Miss a'R Hannah ihf F.. t Could TnG the sT postss to
As she WINS one Of the famous literary lights OF
our magazine. I remember she returned il iR M
metiately with thanks; saying she thought
probably, we might ind some one yho could
ment Was very different from that received from
other literary ,celebrities. most OF whom I met
and many OF whom ] knew intimately.
often wrote at her request for the Ladies' Book.
SAV - NCll iiu NouItI. dLl "lIllHR 10
never heard her called handsome. but she GER
pearsnce and manners. Mrs. siEoarney was an.
other literary woman with whom | was on the
she was very highly thought OF, and much read
both here and abroad. The crown OF poesy was
believe the French. who at that lime we're con.
sldered authority preferred Miss Gonlt's
o. D?9 periiee ef tTsnsf.t fasy T TsTe u 99F9 ss1 sassiifSP sIens
types OF women. Mrs. SiRourney being as pleas
ant and amiable as Miss Gould was the reverse.
which i remember quite distinctly. She was a
large woman and very stout. and fond OF writ
ing sarcastic epitaphs about anybody and every
l~ication. She wrote a very bitter one about Il
Boston High school. SOM one repiied-I think
1t was Rufus A. ChoAte-and the words were
Now Hannah has done with her rhymins and fun
And away from this world she wa hopping.
The bell would not toll for SO little a soul.
From so mighty a body s-drupping.
same town with him. He Was very approach.
able and had a quaint. dry humor. q kind OF
S pertret, sA I ss pub 5hs5 T1 Of ybS Im S Sow from , Tine
u time are all very good likcnesses: but ! have
never seen a picture OF either Longfellow or
both unusually handsome men. though very
different; L2ngtellow was easily approached
a very, cold manner to strangers and never
Lhawed unless he particularly liked q person.
coldness several times in writing OF Emerson.
once met Miss Fuller In a book store. but never
know her except through her relatives. Ny
brother studied law under her uncle, Squire
Elisha Fuller, and l heard much OF her from his
family, with whom ] was on intimate terms.
They always spoke OF Margaret as q freak and
were not particularly. proud OF her. She was
really a very remarkable woman, a genius. but
they could not appreciate her talent.
But there Is one thing l would like TO tell
you about Mr.. Whittier. The English and
many Americans seem to think that no was
raised in great poverty. even want. Such was not
the case. He was reared TO work. just as all New
England boys and girls OF that day were. His
family were thrifty Quakers, and / am sure never
knew want. Being QuRkers, they were consid.
cred plain people, but not necessarily poor. knew
Edgar Allan Poo only slightly, having met him
He was not popular. because he WAS so abusive
OF other poets and writer's. ] 20 out to Fordham
occasionally and always visit Poe's cottage. but
I do not like the way they have changed the
surroundings. ! think 1t should have been left
as nearly as possible as II was when he occupied
IL. y. y. Willis was a great admirer and friend
Of our magazine. and ! knew him very well, but
cannot remember ever to have seen Fanny
Fern.