The times., 1898-05-11
DIVORCE DECREE ENTERED.
Mrs. Francis Hodgeson Burnett Sc
cures a Separation.

Mrs. Francis H0dEesOn Burnett Sc
cures a Separation.
Mrs. Frances Hodgeson Burnett was
yesterday granted divorce in the Su-
preme Court of the District of Columbia
Mrs. Burnett is the well-known author
ess of Little Lord Fauntleroy." That
Lass o Lowries" and 'The Lady OF
Quality" and is now in England. She
applied for divorce March 10, while in
New York, and sailed Immediately for
Europe. The grounds on which the ap-
plication was made were those of deser-
tion. and as soon as the petition was
filed the papers in the case were locked
in the safe of the clerk of the court,
and were not allowed 10 be made public
The action iii the case was unusually
quick, the proceedings being over IN two
months, when from six months To year
is ordinarily required. DR.. Swan NJ. Bur
nett the defendant in the case, made no
defense.
For several years DR.. and Mrs. Burnett
have been uucongeniai. and nave lived
apart much of the time so that the
legal proceedings. which were at last re-
sorIed TO, did not surprise the friends Of
either party
The history of their married life is in
teresting. Dr. Burnett has a worldwide
reputation as an oculist and enjoys the
esteem of d large circle of friends. both
in the medical profession and in society
in general. lie met Mrs. Burnett about
twenty-five years ago, in little town in
Virginia, where her father had recently
come from England. bringing his family
with him. DR.. Burnett was travelling
through that region and met and fell in
love with pretty Frances Hodgeson. then
young girl. and the result was that they
were soon married and came 20 this city
where the doctor was well known.
Soon after her marriage Mrs Burnett
developed taste for literature, and after
having written number OF short stories
for the magazines. she published her first
book. That Lass o'Lowries." which at
tracted the attention of the literary
world
Two children were born to them. Ii
onel. who died several years ago, and
Vivian, now student OF Harvard. Wv
ian is the second son and is the charac-
ter upon wh:ct Mrs. Burnett Is said to
have based the story Of Little Lord
Fauntleroy
The strained relations are said to have
grown out of Mrs. Burnett's advanced
ideas regarding the duties of a wife ard
the rights of woman. Her opinions and
differed widely. The latter, while proud
of his wifes attainments in the literary
world did not agree with her in regard to
the management of their children. For
several years. while their son was a
student in Washington, they consented to
live together. Mrs Burnett never posed
as a new woman, but she carried her be-
lefs far beyond the point sanctioned by
her husband. and after few years OF ap-
mar QCff fe r~ar 70 flf~ bar
and took house of his own in another
part of town.
As the law of the District provides
that desertion must cover a period of two
years before divorce can be granted,
Mrs Burnett waited more than that
length of time before instituting proceed
ings. II is understood that the papers in
the case were made out and ready a
month before they were finally filed, Mrs.
Burnett wishing to be out Of the coun-
try before suit was commenced DR..
Burnett refuses to discuss the subject.