The Brandon news. (Brandon, Miss.) 1892-1961, 1910-07-28
MRS. VIRGINIA FRANTZ-THE GIF
TED POETESS OF BRANDON.

Prominent among the volumes of my Ii
brary is "Ina Greenwood and Other Poems"
by Mrs. Virginia Frantz, writer of
whom Mississippi, and Brandon in par
ticular, should be justly proud. In read
ing this work, written by one / knew
SO we'll, am so often carried back to
my good old home, that / cannot re-
frain from giving to the News readers
a brief account of her life and character,
and a modest appreciation of her poetry.
For even a brief survey, / fear / shall
have to ask the indulgence of the kind
editor.
Many readers of the News will, of
course, remember well Mrs. Frantz, who
passed away two decades ago. There
are others, however, who probably do
not know of her, or her work, and it is for
these, primarily, that this article is in
tended. Brandon has never produced such
a gifted poetess as she.
Mrs. Frantz miss Johnson) was born
near Brandon in the year IS37-a mem
orable one in History and Literature
in that year Queen Victoria ascended the
throne of England; and Charles Dickens,
the 10Th century Shakespeare, gave to
the world his immortal Pickwick Papers,
and Carlyle his French Revolution; and
in our own country the same year marked
the birth of William Dean Howell, and
Edward Eggeston. Her father and moth
er were natives of Virginia and North
Carolina, respectively. AT an early age
she was very precocious, showed re-
tentive memory, and wrote rhymes on her
slate. She was educated at the Brandon
High School, at that time presided over
by Vim. H. Potter, New England teach
er; latr on the principal for many years
was her own sister, Miss Frank Johnson
The young authoress was somewhat cath
olic in her tastes, interesting herself in
Mathematics, Philosophy, Science, Ian.
guage, and especially Literature. She W as
an incessant reader, finding interest and
profit in every book of merit that came
within her reach.
After her marriage in 1857 to Cola. +
Frantz, the editor of the Brandon Repub-
lican,-the predecessor of the Brandon
News-she travelled considerably in the
North, visiting points of public interest
and enjoying especially a trip to Niagara
Falls. The last FIVE years of her life
were years of suffering for the most part.
Occasionally when the burden was lifted,
her poetic soul would again beam forth
in the tenderest expressions of praise and
hope. She passed from earth to heaven
on February IS, 1890. AT the funeral ser
vices in the Presbyterian church, selections
from. Gina Greenwood" were read by
her pastor. Every heart was touched
by the sad and impressive scene, and
tened with tears of grief.
Mrs. Frantz possessed noble and in
spring Christian character. Even at a
very early age she showed marked evil
dence of mature thought on the subjects
cf religion and christianity. To her the
Bible was the Book of all books. The
Presbyterian church was her preference,
and of this she was a consistent member
for many years. "Her life" it has been
her tongue was the law of kindness y
She possessed a great love for flowers.
Near her west window she had her" Friend
ship Garden" as she delighted to call it,
reserved for the many beautiful flowers
sent by her many friends. Fond not only
Of flowers, she found delight also in
music, art, children, and all that enriches
and ennobles and uplifts in life. All
nature greatly interested her, and her
communion with it often resulted in some
of her best poetic efforts In reading the
nature poems, we are often reminded of
Wordsworth No trifle in nature could
be too small to escape notice:
"Cne little sunbeam is not much;
Not one would miss one ray of light;
But when to shine they all combine,
They save our world from endless
night"
Mrs. Frantz's prose productions are
very numerous, most of them being con-
tributions to the young Folks Column
Of her husbands paper. Her earliest eff
forts, however, at writing were in verse.
When about sixteen years of age, one of
her early poems was sent to the Louisville
Journal, which highly complimented it
and published It. Among her many poetic
creations, 'Ina Greenwood; or, Life Mys-
teries, and Other Poems" was published
in book form in 1885.
The simple religious story of Gina
Greenwood" which forms Part First of
the volume is too long to be narrated here.
The authors purpose in writing the work
was to show that names and creeds, af-
ter all, are not of such great importance
in the sight of God as true love of
holiness, and that there are good Chris
tians in all of the churches; and further,
that the mysteries of death and futurity
are no more difficult to understand than
the mysteries of life. These two main
ideas are forcefully brought out and en-
phasized in the progress of the story. The
character of Ina is beautifully and strik-
ingly portrayed. My pen clamors for
space for some of the excellent thoughts
couched in strong, simple sentences in the
story,-only one or two however can here
be given. In the simplest language the
author thus defines faith:
"Come unto me- Trust me. Love me-
Believe that can save you. That is
faith;" and goes on further to say: