Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1909-05-13
DEATH COMES To
AUTHOR OF ST. ELMO
AUGUSTA EVANS WILSON, WELL
KNOWN NOVELIST PASSES
AWAY.
POPULAR WRITER FOB FORMER
GENERATION BEGAN WORK
AT II YEARS.

Mobile, Ala, May lI.-Augusta
Evans Wilson, author OF st. Elmo
and many other novels popular 4
: generation ago, and still widely read
IN the south, died at her home in this
| city as the result of an attack of heart
! failure. She was born in 1885 in Co
lumbus, Ga. She was the daughter Of
Matt Ryan and Sarah Howard Evans
one of the Oldest families in the south
While child she removed with her
parents to Texas then a frontier state
Soon after the Mexican war, her peo-
pie located in Mobile. "A. II was
there that. in 1868, she married Col
onel L. NJ. Wilson. The marriage
was very happy one, and. although
they had no children, they we're known
among their friends as the lover
couple" until Colonel Wilson'S death
in October, 1891.
Because of the unsettled conditions
in Texas and later by reason of poor
health the girl never spent much
time in schools. Practically all her
education was obtained through in
structiOn by her mother.
First Novel at ~ Years.
At the age of Il, Miss Evans first
conceived the idea of writing a novel.
She planned it as a Christmas present
to her father, and in order to com
plete it without letting anyone know
of her secret, she did most of the
work in the night when her parents
believed she was III bed.
1t was in 1855 that her first novel,
peared. 1t met with only moderate
success. Her second novel "Beulah,"
published four years later won in
slant appreciation and she soon be
came recognized as one Of the lead
ing writer's of the romatic and in
tensely emotional school.
When the civil war broke out, her
loyalty to the southern cause left her
little time for writing. She spent
much time in the camps of the south
ern army, sewing for the soldiers and
nursing the wounded.
In 1864 she found time to complete
''Macaria," which she sent to a
Charleston, S. G.. publisher who
copyrighted it under the laws of the
Confederate States Of America.
The book was published on coarse
brown paper, all that the printer
could obtain. and soon after il left the
press the entire edition was conlis-
Gated by a federal officer. A block
ade runner. however, struggled one
copy through to Havana, cuba, whence
it later was taken to New York City
and published. The book met with
heavy sales Immediately.
Many Books Popular.
"St. Elmo" the most popular most
criticised and most widely read Of Mrs.
Wilson's books, appeared in 1866, and
it is still one of the six best sellers
in the south. "Vashti" and 'Infelice"
followed quickly and in 1887, Mrs. VIII
son published at the Mercy Of Ii
berius." q strong argument against
circumstantial evidence as a means OF
conviction.
"A Speckled Bird" was published,
and her last book, "Devota," appeared
about a year ago
Mrs. Wilson never wrote for maya
zines or newspapers, although fire.
quentIy invited 10 do so, and it was
not until late in life that she consented
to the publication of any of her books
in the so-caIIed cheap editions.
She is said to have received $4,000
for the privilege of publishing st.
Elmo" as a paper back"