The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-05-16
FRANCES noocson suRNeIr.
How DIR. Burnett Met and Loved the
Rustic Genius.


How DR.. Burnett Met and Loved the
Rustic Genius.
From the New York Journal.
The separation forever of DR.. swan
NJ. Burnett, the scientist and oculist.
and his famous wife recalls their early
romance. which had its beginning i'm a
little town way down in Tennessee.
Everybody in that little Tennessee
town liked pretty Fanny Hodgson. in
Guiding a young man who happened to
be staying in the neighbOrhood. He
was considerably older than she. but
still ~young-that Is to say, not over
30. The disparity between them was
not so much one Of years as in respect
To station. This young man had been
born to the condition of a gentleman.
whereas the father of Frances was a
mechanic mechanic of the higher
grade. IL Is true. but still belonging to
hat class of life which in England.
where he was born. constitutes "A caste
of itself. He had been the foreman of
a large factory I'm the old country.
Times became hard and he Joined a
of colonists who We're going
to America to seek "A new home. IL
was in Tennessee hat he settled.
Young Burnett was small of stature
and very lame. In Mrs. Burnett's book.
That Lass o. Lowrie's." will be found
a spiritual description of him as he
first appeared to her. He became in
terested in the girl and amused him.
self sometimes by talking with her
when she brought "A tin pail filled with
blueberries to sell to his mother. Mrs.
Burnett herself was the original OF the
pit girl i'm That Lass a. Lowrie's.'
whose rude. rough life was quickened
and developed into 40 finished splendid
character by the love of the London
engineer. For Derrick simply read
Burnett. For Joan. Fanny Hodgson.
Ii is a literal fact hat the proceeds
of her first blueberries We're invested
i'm the purchase of a lead pencil, with
which she wrote her very first story.
She TOOK the story TO the young man
and he told her how to ouCn II up here
and there and put II into shape. IL
was a childish tale. but the young
man recognized I'm IL signs Of talent.
and he believed that the latter was
well worth fostering.
The girl learned with wonderful case
and rapidity. The young mans inter
est deepened and IL was not long afeer
hat they were united In marriage.
Very soon the couple went abroad. n
for some time they made their home in
the Latin quarter of Paris. Burnett
was a student of medicine. He had
chosen the eye as his specially.
The mode of life chosen by the new
IL married pair was distinctly Bohe-
milan. So. while young DIR. Burnett
studied his profession his pretty wife
busted herself with literary work. IL
was not long before what she wrote
began to attract attention. The pro-
ceeds of the young wife's work went
TO help out the expenses OF her nus
bands higher studies. One OF those
happy days they went on an excursion
together down the river, and "A friend
Of theirs who saw them on that occa-
sion remember to this day how sweet
the still girlish looking Frances looked
as she sat at the doctors feet IN the
boat, leaning her head upon his knee.
The differences between DIR. Burnett
and his wife arose from u~nlikeness
rather than likeness. His was the Sc
rious turn of mine Of the student, de-
string repose and caring little for gay
ETY.: she was full of life. longed to be
famous and was very fond OF being
admired. She liked society, handsome
gowns and all the delights which ac-
social success. Her growing
literary reputation brought this kind
of success To her. and there was "A con-
seauent separation of interests and m
pigments.
When they came back to America
from Paris they had a charming home
i'm Washington. The doctor had his
own den to work in. and his wife had
hers. so they could pursue their chosen
occupations as each elected. Their ac-
auaintances were invited to drink tea
first i'm one den and then In the other.
Burnett loved to entertain i'm his own
way. but that was not hers. for the
gay side Of life, as has been said. he
cared nothing.
IL was the beginning of the end.
DR.. and Mrs. Burnett have simply
waited for their surviving son To at
tain his majority before aking the
final step, which is the result of mutual
agreement and long continued friction.
Mrs. Burnett is ~undeniably
She IL very fond Of admiration. and no
human being ever enjoyed fame more
than she does. She loves To talk about
her london house and the London
set" Nevertheless. her set In Lon
don is the literary. rather than the
fashionable. set. Some people say that
she poses. and that is not wholly IN
true. She can afford TO. She was
upset a little by the praise Of the no.
bility abroad. She is shor and stout
of build. with light hair that has a
touch of red in IL. Her gowns are ex-
uuisite, and eve those which she
wears i'm the mornings are imported.
She is fond Of demitonettes in the En-
glish style.