Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-04-05
BEAUTIFUL JOE.
Miss Marshall Saunders, the Author
ess, in Augusta.
Her Impressions Of Maine Also a Sketch OF
Her Career.

pushed writer, in company with her
mother, is making a short visit in An
Susta, for the express purpose of be-
coming the better acquainted with
Name and its people. that she may
complete story upon which she is al
work, the scene of which is laid in
Maine.
She is stopping at Mrs. Bricks OF
State street. and it was there that
journal reporter called. Monday after
neon, and enjoyed half hours con-
Nersation with the distinguished lady.
and she is certainly most charming
conNersationalist, and her accounts IT
her efforts TO please the people and al
the same time accomplish the one great
end that she strives to attain-the
cause Of the humane societies, and the
advancement Of her native country
which is Nova Scotia. her home being
IN Halifax, are to say the least very
Interesting.
Miss Saunders will perhaps be better
remembered as the author of Beautiful
joe that touching story that is
mate to Anna Sewall's Black Beauty"
dog, Beautiful joe" While the latter
treats of a horse Numerous children of
Augusta will be familiar with "Beauti-
full joe from the fact that Miss Hattie
Matthews Sunday school class in the
tniversalist church. are at present
reading the book.
Miss Saunders is tn" daughter of
clergyman and was educated in Franc,
and Scotland. Returning to this coun-
try, she taught school for short time
but ii was distasteful To her one day
she wrote a letter for her father to {;
with the style Of her writing. and ad-
vised her to write a story. AT first she
scohed at the idea as ridiculous, lu
upon the strong advice of her friends.
she made her first attempt.
Instead of choosing the subject given
her by the professor. which was a de
scription of a Canadian winter sceno,
Miss saunders l2ughingly remarks that
she thought the subject was too tame.
a burglar in it The story once writ
ten, she did not know what to do with
it, but finally sent il to Leslie's Month
lv, where it was accepted. and a check
for $40 paid fer it,
This gave her more courage, and Sht
continued writing with varying sue
cess. She then went abroad for short
time, and returned in time to see III
Boston Humane Society. offering d
prize for story to be mate to Black
Beauty" While on a visit TO a young
lady friend she saw the subject of her
book. a beautiful dog named Joe, who
had been cruelty treated by his former
owner. Being naturally much inter
ested in humane work, she took this
for her subject. and when it was sub
mitted to the judges. among whom
We're Hezekah Butterworth and Hon
Edward Everett Hale, they decided
that "Beautiful Joe" should be awarded
the prize.
By the advice Of her friends, sh'
would not sell her story for the $20
offered, and she had it published by tn
American Baptist Publication Society
of Philadelphia. 1t was we'll received
over 250,0O0 copies having already beer
sold, and the demand is rapidly i'll
creasing
Previous to the publication of this
book she had another published in Eng
land. but it has not met with the sue
cess of 'Beautiful joe
When once on the market, there was
a great demand for her stories and shs
has been very busy ever since, travel
ling quite a little during the time n
all parts of Canada. and the United
States.
Among her other books are For the
Other Boys Sake" The King Of the
Park" Daisy" "Charles and His
Lamb" and her latest book that was
issued at about Christmas, entitled
The House of Ammonia" which isl
somewhat out of the usual run OF h"r
stories. being for older people, as she
has now given up writing young peo-
ules' stories. The scene of the story is
in Halifax. and it is very interesting
romance.
Miss, Saunders is very much inter
ested in the people made immortal by
LenpfalIow's "Evangeline," and in her
ham