The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1897-12-11

Heavenly Twins," stands prominently
as the novelist of the tragedy wrought in
the lives of women by unhappy and I'M
holy marriages. She has, so far, ignored
the ordinary subjects for romance to
which her poetic and artistic tempera-
ment would naturally incline, and has
chosen the more rugged pathLof writing
stories with purpose, regardless of the
obloquy and SANDER which this has
brought her. "You can't sweep a room
that requires it without raising DUST
she says. "The thing Is to let the dust
settle again, and then remove it,
The impressionable years of Sarah
Grand's early childhood were spent In the
north of Ireland, where she was born, of
English parents. at Donaghadee. She
was the daughter Of Mr.. Belleden Clarke
of Balyoastle, County Mayo, a naval OFF,
GER. Shortly after she was 16 she msr-
ried an officer in the army, and spent the
succeeding five years In China, Japan
and the Straits settlements, during which
time she began to have yearning for
literary career, and devoted herself very
assiduously TO study.
Sarah Grand has two very devoted
soldier stepsons, and 1t was ONE Of them
who chose her famous nom -de-plume out
of a list which she drew up. This name
she has now permanently adopted. 81
wanted, she said ''fanciful pen-names.
had no idea at the time that real Sa-
rah Grand had ever existed but shortly
after the publication of 'The Heavenly
Twins q gentleman said to me at din
ner one evening: I am surprised that
you should have taken the name of Sarah
Grand. Possibly you are not aware that
she was notorious and beautiful WON :
an who ended eventually as the wife of
Talleyrand.
Sarah Grand loves above every thing a
free, quiet life in the country. Cultured
and of high bred manners herself, elegant
in dress and person, she feels no shrink
ing from contact with her poorer brothers
and sisters, SO full is her heart of sympa-
thy, born of much pondering en- the mys-
teries of life. She has been engaged upon
a new book, as yet untitled.
fLOdHNCE MARR YAH.
Miss Florence Marryat has inherited
the faoile pen Of her gifted father, and
during the thirty years which she has
devoted to literary work has produced no
less than seventy-fve works. She was the
eleventh child of Captain Frederick
Marryat, r. N, and his wife Catherine,
daughter of Sir Stephen Sharp, Houston,
Linlithgowshire. Captain Marryat was
for some time equerry to II. r. II. the
Duke of Sussex. She was married before
she was 16, and went cut to India. Four
years later she returned home, on &C
count of delicate health, with three little
children, Snd it was while they were
suffering from scarlet fever and she was
confined to the house nursing them, that
Florence Marryat wrote her first novel,
s'Loves Conflict She is devoted to
music, is fond of horticulture, and OF
animal pets, especially dogs, OF which she
is an experienced breeder. Miss Marryat
was for some years distinguished upon
the operatic stage, and she has written
several successful dramas, and is we'll
known entertainer ana lecturer.
"OUIDA."
Although the daughter of French
man, Ouida passed much of her early life
with her mother in England. For the
last twenty years she has lived almost
wholly in her villa outside of Florence.
She is petite in figure, with very small
hands and feet, and her face has a haunt.
ing expression of sadness. Most of her
literary work is done quite early in the
morning. and the words literally fly from
her pen. AL, that she writes is done at
and issone of the most eloquent denounc-
ers of the vivisector. Her first story was
written with purpose, and very ex-
traordinary one for young lady novelist
it was, her object being to warn young
men against that worst Of evils, an early
marriage before they have sown their
wild oats.
1t has been said of Ouidas books that
the critic reads them with a shrug, the
novelist with sigh. the student
with an apology, the schoolgirl with
bated breath and shining eyes, and the
bank clerks and lady helps with nameless
thrills Of envious rapture She artfully
avoids writing of anything so common
place as middle-class life. Her readers
are either transported into an localized
atmosphere of rank and fashion among
lovely heroines who wear 'cataracts Of
diamonds" and heroes with jeweled hair
brushes, or they are brought into touch
| with the joys and sorrows Of the poor.
1t is in dealing with the latter that she is
at her best.
THE LORDS PRAYER AND DRUID
ISM.
(From tho Freeman's Journal.)