San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1924-03-30
RAR7ARA La MARX As AGNES HLINI

While nearly everyone Is. familiar
with the name Of Augusta ]. Evans,
the author of the widest selling novel
ever written, "St. Elmo" very few
persons know that the little girl who
bore that name spent what she always
considered the happiest days Of her
life in San Antonio.
The engagement of a photoplay YER
sion OF the famous old novel at the
Royal this week, brought to light the
fact that Augusta J. Evans as girl
lived in San Antonio and began here
the writings that later made her
world famous.
In 1854 or 1856 a shopper walking
down Main Street as Commerce Stree.
was called in those days might have
strolled into the mercantile establish
ment Of Evans and Company. much
in the manner that he would into
any one Of the department stores that
grace the city today. And probably
as he waited for his order to be wrap
ped he would notice oright-eyed and
particularly beautiful child who view
ed the entry of each customer with
more than the ordinary curiosity of
youth.
The San Antonio Of the early fifties
fascinated the young daughter of the
merchant. The imprint of old Mexico
was still upon the town, and the lit
lie girl who had been born on a biz
plantation near Columbus, Ga, and
educated in a select southern boarding
school, found the almost frontier life
of San Antonio a welcome contrast
TO the guarded days OF her earlier
youth. The family had come to Texas
stopping for year at Galveston, he
fore proceeding to San Antonio. TIL,
trip from the island city seaport wa
made by ox-cart, and in her writing,
Augusta Evans states that the tediOu,
hours OF the arduous journey were
brushed out Of memory by an hour o.
San Antonio's sunshine.
Played Around Alamo.
The Evans mercantile establishment
was on Main (COmmcl ce) street neal
Main Plaza. and the little girl Angus
ia was inclined to play around VIVA
is now Alamo Plaza. She was .
great student of history and the story
of the heroic defense of the Alamo
fascinated her. 1t inspired her e
write her first book "IneZ, a story 81
the Alamo" This was penned in her
little upstairs bed room in slow stage,
at night. She was but fifteen year.
old when she started it and the story
was published by Harper and Broth
ers before she was out Of her teens.
1t was during her residence in Sar
Antonio that "St. Elmo" was started
but it was put aside and neglected fol
nearly ten years, and was not pub
lished until after the Civil War.
While his daughter delighted in tn,
life of the San Antonio of that day
the same could not he said Of he
father, and when offered an oppor
tunity to sell out his business he dii
so and the family returned to Colum
bus, Ga. After a short stay ther
they removed TO Mobile. Ala, and
was in that southern city that Mis-
Evans lived the remainder OF her life
While "Inez," Der first novel wa
not huge success. IN ssct it was
sad disappointment, the young autho
was not discouraged and continue
writing. In 1858 she sTw her secon
novel "Beulah" published. This wa
followed in 1864 by her war move
'Macaria."
asst. Elmo" Greatest Success
Miss Evans abandoned her writia
during the war. She was too bus
with her war work. After the Wal
Miss Evans returned to her writin
and there followed in rand succession
''Vashti." "St. Elmo" ''Infelice.' an
'Tiberius.r
"St. Elmo" was tho biggest hit n
any book from Miss Evans's proliti