The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1908-02-06
SAD END Of
NOVELIST OUIDA
BLINDED AND ONLY WITH DOGS.
SHE SPENDS LAST DAYS WHERE
POET DROWNED.

FLORENCE, Italy, January %
From the clutches of the most abject
| poverty and restitution and from a
lonely and friendless old age, made
more bitter by almost complete blind
ness, death today released Ouida, one
of the most brilliant novelsts of her
generation, the writer whose stories
delighted the late Queen Victoria and
made fortunes for publishers.
No depths of pathos or tragedy that
the fertile brain of Ouida herself ever
sounded equals the pitiful story of her
own end. Ten years ago feted, hon
ored and sought after, rich beyond
her greatest needs, Ouida lived regal
ly like a princess. Ana today she died
friendless. a beggar, weakened by
hunger and privation, without a roof
of her own to shelter her and with on
ly her dogs and one faithful old SER
want woman to bear her company at
the end.
Ouida died in a squalid hut near
NiareggiO a few miles from the beau
tiful villa she lived in until poverty
drove her forth practically to beg her
bread from the Italian fisherman and
peasants.
Only one cheering note entered into
the tragedy Of her death. Above her
cleaned the blue sky Of the Italy she
loved and near her, though her sight
less eyes could not see, stretched away
the shimmering sea in which the poet
Shelley met his death and near which
she used to say she wished her life to
end
Ouida was sixty years old A few
years ago when she felt age creeping
upon her she left England, the climate
of which she detested, and took up her
residence in a beautiful villa at LuC-
ca. She chose that spot because from
it could be seen almost the exact spot
where the body of the poet she most
loved, Shelley, was washed ashore.
There in great luxury, with no COM
panionship save for a horde of dogs
and horses and some servants, she liv-
ed quietly for years.
At that time Ouida was extremely
wealthy. The enormous royalties from
her books furnished her with prince
ly fortune. But Ouida, gifted far be-
yond the usual measure of gifted wO-
men, knew nothing more than the
merest child of the value Of money
As she grew older she grew bitter
| The iron of some great disappointment
had entered into her soul and she de-
voted all her care and wealth to the
dogs and horses, which she regarded
as her only friends.
or men and Of America she devel-
oped in her declining years con-
tempt as profound as its expression
was bitter. In her bitterest satire she
expressed the cynicism of the French
philosopher, who declared, The more
see of men, the more | care for
horses and dogs
Then gradually in her quiet life at
Lucca the world forgot Ouida, though
it continued to read her books, until
suddenly the thousands of her readers
and admirers all over the world were
! shocked and amazed just year ago
with the news that the great novelist
had been found wandering about near
Lucca, practically a beggar in the most
abject poverty.
The news sent thrill through Eng
land and America and instantly steps
| were taken to succOr the woman who
had given so much to the literature OF
her century. But the aid came toe
late.
! Ouida, whose name was Louise de la
| Rance, was born at Bury st. Ed
munds, in England, in 1910. While
she was still almost a girl she became
| famous as writer Of. novels Hell
first book, Held in Bondage" was
published in 1868, when she was just
twenty-three years Ola. After that
novels poured in a steady stream from
her pen. Between 1863 and 1901 nc
less than thirty-nine books which she
had written were published The name
|
most from the beginning, became a
household word wherever the English
! language was spoken. The most
| famous of her novels were: Under
Two Flags" Moths" Two little
Wooden Shoes, "Tricotrin, and the
Two Offenders Her last novel
Street Dust was published in 1901
Ouida was chiefly famous as a writ
er for women, and it is one of the ira
ditions of her publishers that the late
| Queen Victoria read and took the keen
est delight in several of her novels. As
a writer for children, Ouida was
scarcely less famous. Some of her
| children's stories, notably The Nj
remberg Stove" are regarded as
among the best children's stories ever
written.
LAKE HANDED A LEMON.