The age-herald., 1898-10-16
The Author of Prisoners of Hope.

In peace as well as in war, there is again young idol of the hour, whom Alabama may at least claim daughter by adoption.
 Miss Mary Johnston, the author of "Pris- oners of Hope," although a Virginian by birth, and has spent the greater part of her life in Virginia, has of recent years owing to her fathers interests here, lived in Br- mingham.
 The press, north and south, are eager now for definite knowledge of this young writer, whose "Prisoner of Hope" has re- gently been published, and with the first edition exhausted within three months after its publication.
 The book has been reviewed in The Age Herald, and its readers throughout the state will be interested in a brief sketch of the young author
 "Prisoners of Hope" was the first manu- script that she ever submitted to publish ing company. She wrote the story and sent il to Messrs Houghton, Miflin x Co. Their letter of acceptance was the first intimation that her family had that the story was in the hands of publishers. She wrote the story at odds times during something like two years.
 MISS J0nnSlOn ndS lrdNeieu SAleiSlNeis, both in this country and abroad, and for four years she lived in New York. Miss Johnstons ancestors have played so con- spicuous a part in the colonial history that the following sketch will be interesting:
 Her great-grandfather, Peter Johnston, came to Virginia from Scotland, in 1727. He was a of wealth and influence in the colony, and was the donor of the lands on which stanus the college of Hampden- Sidney. His three sons, Peter, Andrew and Charles, became, respectively, the ances- tors of many prominent families, nav Wide- ly scattered The eldest, Peter a hero of Light Horse Harry Lees Legion, was the ia ther of General Joseph D. Johnston thus making the latter Miss Johnstons third cousin. The second son, Andrew, was her great-grandfather. He married Anna Nash, and through her Miss Johnston is lineally descended from Colonel John Nash, an off, cer in the Indian and French troubles of l7oS, and, during the revolution, member for Prince Edward county of the Virginia house of delegates; and from John Nash, of Templeton Manor, justice of Henrico county in 173S. She is also the great great greatniece of Abner Nash, governor of North Carolina and member of the con- tinental congress; and of General Francis Nash, who fell at Germantown. On the mothers side she is Seoteh-Irsh lineal descendant of one of the thirteen apprent- ices who closed the gates of Londonderry in the famous siege of 16SS Her father Major John ". Johnston, was a major of artillery in the confederatet army, and at different times prominently connected with internal improvements and industrial deyel- opments, both In Alabama and Virginia
 Among the reviews of "Prsoners of Hope" the following is taken from the Saturday Evening Gazette, published in Boston:
 Prisoners of Hope" by Mary Johnston is one of the novels that is read with un- alloyed pleasure and dwells in the mem ory among other pleasant things. It is not a great novel, but from the viewpoint of art it is superior to many present day works of fiction that supposed to be great" One of it's merits is that it is not a story with purpose" another merit is that it does not dwell on the ugly and