Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-06-10
JULIA MAGRUDER DEAD
FAMOUS SOUTHERN NOVELIST
SUCCCUMBS TO LONG ILLNESS.

Magruder, the famous Virginia novelist
died late yesterday afternoon at ST. Luke s
Hospital after an illness extending over
several weeks. Her death had been ex-
pected momentarly for several days. Miss
Magruder was aware of her condition and
accepted her approaching end philosophi-
cally. She was fifty-one years Old
Miss Magruder was born in Charlottes-
vile, but lived much of her time In Wash
ington. She was an intimate friend of
Amelie Rives, another Virginia literary
celebrity. now the Princess Troubetskoy.
A few days ago she was told that word
had come from Paris that the French Acad-
envy had conferred on her the Order of
Palms. decoration coveted by authors and
held by few in this country.
Miss Magruder was born in the same
town as her friend and co-worker in the
Held of literature. Princess Troubetskoy.
born Amelie Rives. and although the theme
OF one Of Miss Magruders novels is strlk-
ingly like that of Miss Rives' most famous
book, THE Quick or the Dead" there is
little similarity in their treatment of char
acter or in their viewpoint of life AS one
critic puts it. "Amelie Rives considered her
characters from the purely animal point OF
view-givng them body and soul and nc
| more" In "A Realized IDEAL" by Miss
Magruder. the story assumes the three-fold
division of man into body, soul and spirit
the two former making the mortal person
atty and the last the immortal Individual
ity.
Wrote Number of Novels.
Miss Magruder wrote a number of novels,
sketches and essays, all of which were seri-
GUS and painstaking Although opinion has
Iix-il a1
first distinction. as high an authority as
the London Saturday Review said of her:
Her right to be included in the scanty
handful of competent American novelists is
undisputed." Among her best-known books
are Miss Ayr" "a Realized IDEAL" "Prin-
cess Sonia and "A Manifest Destiny" 1t
is said of Miss Magruder that she never
wrote potboilerS. She gave to all her work
her very best effort. She was always car
nest and sincere and took up every subject
as though performing a sacred duty.
Unlike most writers, and especially wom-
en- writer's, Miss Magruder was as accom-
pished and entertaining in her conversa-
ton as in her pen work. She won fame rs
a racOnteur second only to her reputation rs
a story writer. One of her admirers once
said: Miss Julia Magruder Is too good
tal1er to be a first rate writer" But this
was accepted as an exaggerated tribute to
her gifts as a talker
A Noted Conversationalist.
AS a southerner, she was an ardent lover
of all the traditions of that section. But
she as ardently wished for complete OBJ
liberation of sectional lines. She made her
home for the most part in Washington, and
numbered as many friends and associates
among northerners as among the folk from
the southland. In speaking of Across the
Chasm" once she said: THE people them
selves are so essentially different. They
Ipnly of n
from widely divergent points Of view.
The color question is of course, the main
point today 1 am one of the few southern
ers who approve of President Roosevelt's
attitude in the matter"
When asked If she meant the social
equality of the negro, she protested, ON,
my, no. that is just the sort Of misrepre-
sentation of each others ideas that has
kept the north and south at loggerheads
for generations.
Approved Recognition Of Black Man.
II approve of the recognition Of Booker
Washington or of any other black man
who may develop as much ability and char
acter: but that does not imply that i
for one moment think it advisable fo1 the
white man to open his drawing room doors
to the negro race or 20 meet them socially IN
other persons homes. Taking the standard
of the greatest good to the greatest num-
err what more useful citizen have we than
Booker Washington"
All Miss Magruder's work was not con-
fined to writing for grown-ups. She scored
several successes story writer for chill
dren. Her first succesS in this direction
was Child Sketches from George Eliot"
which was followed later by THE Child
Amy and the Labor of Love" The pur-
ty and naturaness of tone of the stories
won praise for the writer and the love of
her youthful readers. She also wrote many
CHI of rhe most successful be-
ing Miss Ayr of Virginia.
Miss Magruder was the daughter OF the
late Allan Bowie Magruder of Charlottes-
gruder Of the United States and confederate
ton in both law and letters.
Miss Magruder, according to statements
made to a representative of The Star today,
was a frequent visitor to this city About
seven years ago she built residence on
Cincinnati street. now known as Calvert
street between 10Th and Goth streets north
west After living in the residence for a
short time Miss Magruder rented the prem
ises and until about six months ago spent
much of her time in travelling in Europe
At the time stated she returned to this
city and spent some time with her friend
Mrs Yancey in 18th street. After visiting
Mrs l.. L. LomaX and her daughter. Mrs
Waddy Wood she left several weeks ago
for Concord, N. c., from which city she re-
turned to Richmond. Va. Miss Magruder
was a distant relative of DIR. G. Lloyd Ma
gruder of this city.