Pine Bluff daily graphic. (Pine Bluff, Ark.) 1893-1942, 1908-01-29
DIED IN POVERTY
FOR CHAR|Ty'S SAKE
"Ouida," Once Famous Nov
elist Who Died Last Sat
urday, Spent a Big For
tune in Charity.
FOND OF ANIMALS
Story OF Her Disappointed Love AFFAIR
Her Devotion to Dogs-SOmething
Of Her Remarkable Career In Her
Native Land.

The Graphic published Sunday
through the Hearst news service q
cablegram from Rome relating the
death of "Ouida," the once famous
novelist at the home Of her faithful
maid Isolina Cervelli, near Flor
ence, Italy, after a brief Illness in
her seventy-eigh year.
Oulda, whose real name was Miss
Louise de la Rance, although hay
ing amassed a fortune from hel
novels, died in poverty. Her only
income at the time of her death was
pension of $3.50, granted to her
annually by the British government
During her lifetime she is said to
have realized from S250,000 to
$500, 900, large portion of which
was spent in charity.
AS early as 1894 stories Of Out
,das pinched circumstances found
their way from Florence, where the
novelist had her little villa, because
of financial embarrassment.
Most of Ouida's money was spent
In aiding the poor and in satisfy
ing her fondness or, as some per-
sons regard it, her mania for an
mails At one time she had as
many as forty horses in her stable.
and she never, even when she was
In want herself, neglected her dogs
of which she had thirty in her pros
porous days. Now there are left
Ruff, Goldoni and Neroino-all
greyhounds. 1.-THE Lady of the
Dogs" was the way Ouida was
known in Lueea. Ouida's three
dogs were her inseparable compan-
ions. Tney were practically the
only company she cared for. She
sometimes went without food herself
that these pets might be properly
cared for.
One of the characteristic extrav-
love for animals led her was the
ordering of a meal of milk, bread
and meat for every dog in Lucca.
When Ouida paid the bill for this
extraordinary banquet heavy debts
were already pressing her. Her
love for animals is reflected in what
many persons regard as the most
notable Of her works, "The Dog Of
Flanders This story OF dog life
has been selected by many critics as
one of the finest little pieces of
pathos in the English language.
To the poor Ouida's pocketbook
always was open. 1t has been said
of her that she never heard Of a case
Of indulgence and suffering which
she didn't try to relieve. In her
handling of money she had practic-'
ally no regard for arithmetic so long
as the money made somebody happy
or satisfied her fondness for ami
mails =.
Her villa was at one time on uf
the most beautiful in Florence dis
trict. 1t was situated ON green
promenade about three miles from
the city surrounded by cornfields
and meadows, vineyards and hills.
The grounds about it were spacious
and contained some OF the most
beautiful terracing in Europe. The
villa gardens and all were hidden
from pubic view by high walls.
Inside the villa was adorned daily
with fresh flowers and on the walls
were many paintings from Ouida's
own hands. In these paintings also
was reflected the novelist's love for
animals. Almost every one of
them had a horse or a cat or a dog
in 1t some how. 1t is supposed that
these paintings have gone by the
way OF the villa.
Ouida entertained rher friends at
the villa once week in accordance
with the Florentine custom but
these receptions were never very
elaborate or expensive. The guests
drank wine and smoked cigarettes,
but Ouida never INDUCED.
Her life in the humble maids
cottage was patterned as nearly as
possible after that followed by her
In the villa. She availed herself of
every opportunity to be IN the omen
air. In the old days she used to
drive from until 6 O'Clock In the
AFTERNOON, always having at least