Evening star., 1936-11-28

~ ECEMBER 2, 1886, Is easily
red-letter day in District of
Columbia history. 1t marks
the centenary of the found
ing, by Mrs. Anne Newport Royal.
of the famous newspaper, THE
Huntress," which was regularly pub
lished by this pioneer woman journal
ist on Capitol Hill from 1885 to the
time of her death in 1854.
Copies of THE Huntress" are very
scarce Indeed. it Is thought that the
only complete file of this newspaper
in existence today reposes in the metal
vaults of the Rare Book Room archives
Of the Library of Congress. The Lii
brary of Congress file of this priceless
newspaper consists of eight bound
volumes, each of which holds approx
mately two years issues. The formal
of the paper is shown in the illustra-
ton, and its size was about IL by
18 inches.
In order to appreciate more fully the
importance of The Huntress," we
must know something of the life Of
its editor, Mrs Royal. Few persons,
indeed, in District history have fur
nished center about which so much
controversy has ragged as has Mrs.
Royal. One investigator finds her in
the van of progress. woman far
ahead of her time, voice crying in
the wilderness; while another depicts
her as an eccentric and quarrelsome
old termagant.
The truth probably lies between
these extremes. No adequate study Of
her life has ever appeared. although
a short one by Sarah Porter is prob
ably the most trustworthy. 1t is
therefore pleasing to know that Mrs.
Marquis James of Pleasantville, N. Y,
is to publish a biography of Mrs.
Royal.
A CCORDING to the best evidence,
Anne Newport was born in Mary
land on June II, 1869. Her father was
suspected of Tory leanings, and he
found it more comfortable to live on
the frontier during the War of In
dependence and Immediately after
ward Her father was well educated
and himself taught his daughter, in
spring in her love of literature.
Little is known of her early life. but
at the age of % she married Capt
William Royal in Botetourt County
Va. Her husband had served with
some distinction under Lafayette, be-
sides raising the first Virginia COM
pany IN the Revolution. Capt. Royal
was prosperous man, having large
estate and an extensive library. His
one passion was burning patriotism
for the newly founded republic.
Anne Royal soon became imbued
with her husbands love of books and
his devotion to his country. She read
virtually everything in his library.
After about 16 years of married life,
her husband died, leaving the bulk of
his estate to her. Following the death
of her husband in 1913, Mrs. Royal
spent much time travelling in the
South, especially in Georgia. her
'favorite State She published book
or two of travels at this time.
Her care-free days soon came to an
end. Relatives of Capt Royal had at
length disputed the will successfully,
and the widow found herself dispos-
sessed. In 1923 she moved to Alexan-
dria so as to be near Washington,
where she hoped to get from Congress
widows pension on the strength of
her husbands military service.
A fraternal order to which her hus-
band belonded aided her in making a
tour of the Northern States and she
undertook to write series of travel
books. She was a prolific writer and
published about a dozen volumes,
mostly on travel, although the collec-
ton includes a novel and a book of
letters.
MRS. ROYALS books afford an
excellent description of the
United States in the formative years
Of the Nations history. Copies Of her
volumes command a handsome pre-
MUM today among book collectors OF
early American imprints. The rare
book room Of the Library of Congress
has many of her volumes in its
archives.
Through the publication of so many
books Mrs. Royal soon came to have
a national reputation as a writer. She
regarded her pen, however, as a means
to an end and sought to employ it in
the interests of better government
She was unsparing in her attacks upon
unscrupulouS politicians and earned
many enemies in this manner. She
was a staunch supporter of Andrew
Jackson.
In 1929 she was brought before the
learned Judge Cranch of the United
States Circuit of the District of Colum.
bia on the charge of being a com.
| NUNS rixatrix" or a common scold
the penalty of which was the ducking-
stool. The case of the United States
VS.. Anne Royal is most diverting te
read through, although the charge.
pressed strike one day as being utterly
ludicrous. After hearing a mass Of
conflicting testimony Judge Cranct
imposed a fine Of $40 on the woman
and let her 60.
The first newspaper venture of Mrs
Royal was launched in 1881 and wa.
called Paul Pry." She published thii
organ precariously for about five years
Its title, however, seemed to be a mis-
I'll L .f N N