Woman of the Century/Frances Courtenay Baylor

BAYLOR, Miss Frances Conrtenay, author, born in Fayetteville, Ark., 20th January, 1848. FRANCES COURTENAY BAYLOR. She is descended from an old Virginian family of English strain. Her childhood was spent in San Antonio and New Orleans, w here her father, an army officer, was stationed. She was educated principally by her mother and her aunt, in her own home. After the Civil War was ended, she went to Europe and spent the years 1865 to 1867 in travel and residence in England and on the Continent. She spent 1873-74 in Europe, and during her sojourn there she gathered the materials for her literary work. Since 1876 she has lived in an old home near Winchester, Va. Her literary career began with articles in various newspapers, and she contributed to "Lippincott's Magazine," the "Atlantic Monthly " and the "Princeton Review." Among her earlier productions was a play, "Petruchio Tamed." She won a prominent position bv her novel. "On Both Sides" (Philadelphia, 18BO, in which she contrasts the American and English characters, manners and social creeds. Her second book was "Juan and Juanita" (Boston, 1N86). Her third was "Behind the Blue Ridge" (Philadelphia, 1887). All these volumes were highly successful, passing through many editions in a short time. The first, "On Both Sides." was republished in Edinburgh. Miss Baylor deservedly ranks high as an author of remarkable powers of observation, of judgment, of humorous comment, and of philosophic generalization.