Page:Woman of the Century.djvu/223

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218
CROSS.
CRUGER.

Girl " and showing herself possessed of histrionic ability.


CRUGER, Miss Mary, novelist, born in Oscawana, N. Y., 9th May 1834. She belongs to MARY CRUGER. the well-known Cruger family of Knglish descent, whose members have always held distinguished positions in American society, since the days when Henry Cruger, who with Edmund Burke represented the City of Bristol in the British Parliament, zealously and ably advocated the cause of American independence. Miss Cruger is one of the children of the late Nicholas Cruger, of Westchester county, New York. Her father was educated in West Point and held the position of captain in the 4th Infantry of the regular army at the time of his marriage to Miss Eliza Kortright, daughter of Captain Kortright, of the British Army. He shortly afterward: left the army and built a house in Oscawana, on the Hudson. There most of the children were born and grew up, till the death of both parents broke up the family circle. Shortly afterwards Miss Cruger built a house near Montrose, N. Y., where she has since resided, and w here most of her literary work has been accomplished. At her home, called "Wood Rest." she lives a unique and poetical life. Miss Cruger's first published work was "Hyperesthesia" (New York, 1885). Her next book was called "A Den of thieves, or the Lay-Reader of St. Marks " (New-York, 18S6). She then published her third novel, "The Vanderheyde Manor-House" (New York, 1887), which was followed by "How She Did It" (New York, 1888). "How She Did It" was a great success, and gave Miss Cruger a personal as well as an extended literary fame. "Brotherhood " (Boston, 1891) is her latest publication. Humanity is her watchword and inspiration. Tragic as must always be the result of such short-sighted struggles as those that occur between labor and capital, that story goes far toward solving a great problem.


CRUGER, Mrs. S. Van Rensselaer, novelist and social leader, born in Paris, France. She is daughter of Thomas Wentworth Storrow . who spent the greater part of his life in France. The Wentworths were of New England. Her mother was a daughter of Daniel Paris, a well-known never of Albany, N. Y.,and for many years a member of the New York legislature. Mrs. Storrow was the favorite niece of Washington Irving, and a diamond, which he gave her when she was married in his Sunnyside home, is now in Mrs. Cruger's possession. Mrs. Cruger is the wife of Colonel S. Van Rensselaer Cruger, a member of one of the old Knickerbocker families of New York, and they make their home in that city and in a pleasant place called " Idlesse Farm" on Long Island. Mrs. Cruger has long been known as a social leader, and during the last three or four years she has won a most remarkable success as a novelist. She is a master of French, having spoken only that language until she was nine years of age, and. with her liberal education, her long residence abroad, and her experience in many spheres of life, she unites a distinctly literary talent that has enabled her to cast her stories in artistic form, while preserving in them a most intense humanity. Her novels have been published under the pen-name "Julien Gordon," and the critics, without exception, supposed "Julien Gordon " to be a man. Her novels are "A Diplomat's Diary," "A Successful Mill." "Mademoiselle Reseda'" and "A Puritan Pagan." all of which appeared as serials first and then in volumes. All have passed through many editions. She has written some poetry, but she has never published or even kept any of her verses.


CUINET, Miss Louise Adele, doctor of dental surgery, born in Hoboken, N. J., 29th November, 1855. She is of French parentage. On the maternal side she is a descendant of the Huguenot Humberts, a family of local eminence in Neuchatel,