Page:Woman of the Century.djvu/143

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page has been proofread, but needs to be validated.
138
BURNETT.
BURNETT.

southern California as State organizer. She spent one y«»r there and in Nevada, during which time one-hundred-fifty lectures were given by her. For efficient service in the West she was made National organizer in 1889, hut was soon after called home by the serious illness of her mother, and she has remained near or with her parents ever since. She continued her work as State organizer until recently, when she accepted the position of preceptress in her Alma Mater now Farmmgton College.


BURNETT, Mrs. Frances Hodgson, novelist, born in Manchester, England, 24th November, FRANCES HODGSON BURNETT. 1849. She lived in Manchester until 1864. acquiring that familiarity with the Lancashire character and dialect which is so noticeable in her works of later years. Her parents suffered financial reverses in 1865, her father died, and the family came to the United States. They settled in Knoxville, Tenn., and afterwards moved to New market, Tenn. Mrs. Hodgson took a farm, w here her two sons and three daughters could work and earn their bread. Frances began to write short stories, the first of which was published in a Philadelphia magazine in 1867. She persevered and soon had a market for her work, "Peterson's Magazine." and "Godey's Lady’s Book," publishing many of her stories before she became famous. In 1872 she contributed to "Scribner's Magazine" a story in dialect. "Surly Tim's Trouble." which scored an immediate success. Miss Hodgston became the wife of Dr. Luan M. Burnett, of Knoxville, in 1873. They made a long tour in Europe and, returning in 1875, made their home in Washington, D. C., where they now reside. Her famous story, "That Lasso' Lowrie's." created a sensation as it was published serially in "Scribner's Magazine." It was issued in book form (New York. 1877), and it found a wide sale, both in the United States and in Europe, running through many editions. On the stage the dramatized story was received with equal favor. In 1878 and 1879 she republished some of her earlier stories, which bad appeared in various magazines. Among those are "Kathleen Mavourneen." "Lindsay's Luck," "Miss Crespigny." "Pretty Polly Pemberton" and "Theo." These stories had appeared in a Philadelphia magazine, and had been published in book form, without her permission, b\ a house in that city, a proceeding which caused a controversy in public. Her plots were pillered by dramatists, and all the evidences of popularity were showered upon her. Her later novels, "Haworthy (New York, 1879). "Louisiana" (New York, 1881), "A Fair Barbarian" (New York, 1882), and "Through One Administration" (New York, 1883), have continued her reputation. But her greatest success, on the whole, has been won by her "Little Lord Fauntleroy," which first appeared as a serial in "St. Nicholas," in 1886. It was subsequently published in book form and was dramatized, appearing on the English and American stages with great success. Mrs. Burnett is very fond of society, but her health is too delicate to enable her to give time to both society and literary- work. She has been a sufferer from nervous prostration, and since 1885, has not been a voluminous writer. Sue has published "Sara Crewe" (New York, 1888), "Editha's Burglar" (Boston, 1888), and "Little Saint Elizabeth" and other stones (New York, 1890). Mrs. Burnett is the mother of two sons, one of whom died at an early age. Despite her long residence abroad, she calls herself thoroughly American.


BURNHAM, Miss Bertha H., author and educator, born in Essex. Mass., 22nd April, 1866. She is a resident of Lynn. Mass. In her early childhood her love for 'reading and writing was BERTHA H. BURNHAM. manifested. It was not until her sixteenth year that any of her writings were published, and those possessed the many crudities common to immaturity. Since that time she has written short