The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-05-02
AmoNg THE Books


1WO7lg me DO0R3
Marion Harinnd's Autobiography.
Published by Harper & Bros, of New
York. $500 net
1t is seldom that the full activities
of literary career extend over SO
long and so important period as
that which is marked by the work of
Marion Harland, known in this city,
where she once had her home, as Mary
Virginia Halves. and later as Mrs. Ed
ward Payson Terhune.
Marion Harland as her autobio-
graphy relates, is the daughter of
Samuel Pierce Hawes, of Dorchester,
Mass, who came to Richmond as the
employe of a mercantile house when
he was sixteen years old and after
ward established himself here in bust
ness. and of Judith Anna Smith. of
Olney, plantation on the Chcka-
hominy, five miles from Richmond. The
book. which contains what the daugh-
ter remembers and has seen of the
plantation homes in Virginia OF her
maternal forbears, and of the country
ncighoorhoods where her parents lived
in Amelia, Lunenburg and Powhatan
counties, before finally coming to
Richmond, Is most valuable, Rs recall
Ing with accuracy social life in old
time Virginia and many of the peopi,
Of former generation who made II
what It was For instance, Marion
Harland, in referring to the fact that
the Richmond Blues were detailed to
act as g. bodyguard on the occasion
of Lafayettes visit to Richmond In
1924. mentions that her father, as a
member of this famous company, was
at that memorable time arrayed IN
Continental uniform with powdered
hair. and that her mother. who walked
in the procession OF women and chill
dren, wore upon her left shoulder q
blue satin badge with Lafayette's like
ness stamped on 1t in silver. She also
mentions that Major. James Morton.
OF Wellington, Prince Edward county.
a kinsman. who had served under
Lafay came down to do honor to
his chief Equally interesting are
| references to households at Erin Hill,
Montrose and other famous Virginia
plantations.
Education under tutor and the
personality of college neighborhood.
that of Hampden- Sidney, and the Rice
Hill household. demonstrate how pleas
antly instruction was combined with
pleasure for Marion Harland under
| the care of Robert Reid Howison and
the chaperonage Of aunt Rice" the
notable mistress of Rice Hill. The
| writer says in looking back to the
happy student days thus spent, that
Moses Drury Hoge. a cousin of my
mother and Aunt Rice. was tutor
at Hampton Sidney while divinity
student, and. as was proved by his
subsequent career. was the superior
OF his fellows in oratorical gifts and
! other endowments that mark the youth
for success from the beginning OF tho
| race Marion Harland does not forget
| to mention by name the four grad
uateI; of a commencement at Hampden-
Sidney in 1913. as Robert Campbell
Anderson, Thomas Brown Venable.
Paul Darlington. and Mr.. Rice, whose
possible initials were T. c.
A chapter of the book talks about
old Virginia housewifery and is deeply
| interesting Another on an election
| day and a Democratic barbecue proves
| conclusiveHy that Virginia women and
young girls of the middle nineteenth,
| century We're active and intelligent
| participants and partisans in Virginia
politics A whg rally and muster
| day brings into association with Its
| incidents the names of Holden Rhodes
John Winston Jopes and Watkins Leigh.
| among other we'll known Richmonders
| and Virginians. The description Of q
| corn shocking, with the stripping OF
hooded ears by waiting hands. to the
rhythm OF the famous corn shuckers
| songs subsequently recalls q bit oil
| plantation life from the closed annals
of the "long ago."
! Schoolmates o. the authoress at g
girls school, conducted by Mrs. Not
| tingham and her daughters in frame
building, where DR.. Lewis Bosher's
| house now stands. on the corner OF
| Fifth and Franklin Streets, in Rich
mond, will verify her impressions OF
school methods as practiced In the
nineteenth century. The chapter head
ed "a Notable Affair OF Honor" tell
| ing what is remembered OF tho duel
between Thomas Richie. and John
Hampden Peasants and of the flu
neral services Of Mr.. Peasants from
| Grace Street Presbyterian Church, Is
written with dramatic force anc
| realism.
Marion Harland came to live in
Richmond In 1851. her parents occupy
ing a house on East Leigh Street The
mystery of the woman in gray who
haunted this house and whose skeletons
was discovered by worknen In the al
| teration OF the property, after it had
been disposed OF by the Halves family
offers for solution psychological
| problem or moment. During her ttlch'
mond residence the, authoress begar
the publication of her Virginia novels
Alone" 1.-THE Hidden Path" anc
Nemesis" and contributed to vario,l'
| periodicals, among them the Southern
Literary Messenger, then published II
/ this city. Familiar glimpses are giver
l in this part OF the book of many lit
erary folk, among them Thomas Bale,
Aldrich, Bayard Taylor and Anna Cors
Mowatt Rtchie, the wife Of William
Foushee Richie, of Richmond
Through the kindness Of Mrs. Richie
Marion Harland heard lecture from
Edward Everett given In the Execu
II tive Mansion in 1854, the lecture beins
i in behalf OF the Mount Vernon Asso
citation. Afterward she met the lee
\ turer at dinner in Mr., Everett
4 honor at Mrs, STANDARDS among who's
other guests were Mr.. Corcoran, tn