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Show f CATHOLIC WQMBK 1 ' f f f f f f V -f fV 4 4--f -f -f 4- 4-i4- 4-44 (Written for The Intermountain Catholic.) (BY ISABELLA C. O'KEEFE.) The theory that women should not be workers is an idea of the past. The cruel kindness of the old doctrine that women should be worked for, that their influence should be felt and not recognized, recog-nized, that they should hear and see, but neither appear-nor speak. All this has fled. ' Within the past few years a renewed interest has been awakened among the Catholic women of the United States in literature, philosophy, scier.ee and art. This paper treats purely on the Catholic' Cath-olic' women of the United States in literature lit-erature and journalism. The list of female fe-male writers is not overwhelming. We have four novelists of whom we may be justly proud. Mrs. Frances Fisher Tiernan,. better known as Christian Reid, Mrs. Mary Agnes Fleming, Mrs. Anna Hanson Dorsey and Mary J. Hoffman. Hoff-man. Twenty most fascinating novels besides other eminent literary work have come from the pen of Christian Reid. Mrs. Fleming follows with twenty novels. Mrs. Dorsey, a convert since 1840, is the author of fifteen novels, and Miss Hoffman has issued about six. Among the poets we find M ss E ea'.or C. Donnelly, who was born in Philadelphia. Philadel-phia. She is the sister of Ignatius Donnelly, Don-nelly, the well known novelist and statesman. Her pen was dedicated from youth to religious subjects, and while she has written much, very few of her JJUVlin JlclVU OLUKi llirtll lllisivu.i themes. Her verse is full of music and rich in- its devotional disnit'.es. She published three volumes of poems which are in demanl, especially as prize books in fine educational institutions. institu-tions. Leo XIII has sent her a special benediction, and one of the religious orders in Rome conferred upon her a medallion in recognition of the beauty and purity of her verse. There are also women of great worth, though not widely known. Mrs. M. V. Dahlgren, an Ohio woman, who has published several original works and translations. Mrs. Keichum. a southern lady, has for years contributed to Harper's Har-per's and other magazines, and has published a volume of poems callled "Lotos Flowers." Mrs. Sadler and her two daughters, Anna and Agnes, have written Doetry and many translations. Agnes Repplier, so well known in "Points of View," "Books and Men," and her latest work, "Essays in Miniature." Minia-ture." Harriet Waters Preston contributes con-tributes to the Atlantic Monthly. Rose Hawthorne Lathrop (convert), daughter daugh-ter of Nathaniel Hawthorne. Sarah Bronson, daughter of the distinguished convert, Orestes Bronson. Maud Howe Elliott (convert): Isabella Shea, daughter daugh-ter of John Gilmory Shea: Mary J. Onahan; Mother Mary Austin Carroll; Mary C. Crowley, Edith Healy, Eleanor Sherman Thackara. Mary McMullen and Katherine Prindiville. In Boston, the Athens of America, we find a trinity of women the w hole Cath- nlif tvnrlrl irwv lrtnlr tr with the Utmost pride. Let us review the life of . MRS. MARY ELIZABETH BLAKE. Mary McGrath was born in Dungar-vin, Dungar-vin, Ireland, in 1840. When but 9 years old she came with her parents to this country. Most of her early education was received at home, her father being a scholarly and well read man. ' She afterward attended he Quincy high school, George B. Emerson private school of Boston, and finally spent some vears with the ladies of the Sacred Heart at Manhattanville, studying music and the languages. In 1S65 she married Dr. John G. Blake, a prominent physician of Boston. Bos-ton. She is the mother of eleven children, chil-dren, five of whom are still living four sons and one daughter. . She wrote poetry at an early age. and while in her teens contributed sketches to the Boston Pilot over the name of "Marie." Her soulful poems attracted Boston Gazette secured her fascinating pen for that paper. "Rambling Talk.3," written for the Boston Journal, still continues to be an immense success; in fact, it is one of the most popular -'a-tures of the paper, s Mrs. Blake is pre-eminently a poet with a sweet voice which breathes the incense of-her pure and lofty character. Her "Wide Awake" poems you have all' read, and must certainly have enjoyed. en-joyed. They are perhaps more widely j known because of the extensive sale of the magazine. But like so many I grand poems, her works were brought j out by the greatest grief that stirs the v ir if fViraa n f if ni chil dren within one week. This cluster of poems is called "In Sorrow," and the tears of bereaved mothers whose hearts j have yearned to the author through fellowship fel-lowship of desolation is their all-suffering eulogy. One of the cluster is especially es-pecially beautiful. ' By special request from the city of Boston she wrote the poem, "Wendell Phillips," in 18S4. "How Ireland Answered", An-swered", and "Women of the Revolution," Revolu-tion," both in 18S5, reveal the splendid force and strength of the writer. She was the poet of the golden jubileo celebration cel-ebration of the Sisters of Charity in 1882, and of the Catholic Union's festival festi-val in honor of Pope Pius IX in 1S73. Mrs. Blake's prose is clear and picturesque. pic-turesque. She is a contributor both of prose and poetry to the New York Independent, Catholic World, Ladies' Home Journal, Wide Awake, St. .Nicholas, .Nich-olas, Providence Journal, Chicago Herald Her-ald and other publications." Her published pub-lished works include, "Poems' in 18S2, "On the Wing" in 1833, "Tne Merry Months All" in 1S85. "Youth in Twelve Centuries" in 18S6, and "Mexico,'! which j she wrote in conjunction with llrs. i Margaret F. Sullivan of Chicago, of I whom she says she has the honor to j be her devoted friend. We now turn to one whose name is almost a household word in the Tew England states, MISS KATHERINE E. CONWAY. She was born in Rochester, N. Y., of Irish parents. Her father was a bridge builder and railroad contractor; he also took a great interest In politics. Her mother was an educated woman, and Katherine's childhood was spent within especially good influences, and placed in a way of knowing intelligently the trend of public affairs. She studied in Buffalo with the Sisters of Charity. Her first public work was done when she was 15 years old. She did reportorial work, verses and sketches for the Rochester Roch-ester Daily Union, and correspondence for the New York papers, but all this was more in the line of instructive out-reaching out-reaching than the expression of any plan or purpose. From 1S73 to 1S78 she edited a Catholic Magazine called West End Journal. Family reverses occurring occur-ring she was thrown on her own resources re-sources and her ready pen became a source of revenue. She taught rhetoric and literature in the Normal School of Nazareth Convent in Rochester. From 1 1878 until 13S3 she was assistant editor of the Catholic Union and Times. In 1 1SS3 she became editorial writer for the Boston Pilot, of which John Boyle O'Reilly was the editor. She still wields her powerful pen in a most influential manner for the Pilot. She has published one volume of poems po-ems entitled "Songs on the Sunrise Slope," and has another volums in press shortly to appear. In 1886 she edited for Mrs. Clara E. Clements, the art writer. "Christian Symbols and Stories of Saints." This work has gone through several editions, edi-tions, winning warm approval from high Catholic authorities and a recognition recog-nition of mafked and unusual kindness from Pope Leo, to whom a copy was presented at the time, of his golden jubilee. ju-bilee. In journalism she has few superiors, su-periors, and writes on the live questions ques-tions of the day in a bold, trained, confidential con-fidential way, clearly indicating her power. She was the first Catholic to address j the Woman's Educational ami IntMr. - national Union of Boston. Her subj--:, wtrange to say, was "The Bles.-., I Among Women," describing to hep au-i au-i dience the place of the Blessed Vir- ;, ! in the Catholic Church, the ground. I for the Catholic- devotion to her. an. i her influence on the elevation of w.. ' manhood, on poetry, music, and ai :. The paper attracted wide attention f.,;-the f.,;-the novelty of the attendant einuiu-stances. einuiu-stances. Miss Conway is a memb.-r of the executive council of the X. i England Woman's Prti?s Club ,u: l chairman of the literary committee. Shis, Sh-is, also president of the Woman's Prtss I Association of Boston. A tireless wi.rk- : ' er, a charming, woman.- The friends '. who know her best, h'ihi her in v, : ,-dear ,-dear affection. She read a paper at-the Press (' !;. gress held in Chicago during th- ' World.'s Fair. Though too busy tn (. . ' , light us. often Miss Conway stmtiti!.--i gives us a few lines of poetry, thriliii; . and beautiful. She is very bless-. 1 in a deedful life incapable of any but th-highest th-highest and noblest ideals. This is a-i extract from her poem. "Crown a:.-i Palm Branch": - "Folded in raiment fair and whit. Blossoms about hrr, dewy and triL;!H. Palm branch laid on her peaceful l.r.-a.-i. Sweet, oh! sweet is the. maiden's r-sr: Hut the- lovinsr watchers mourn ant) w. . i ,-For ,-For this is death, though, it socm-th .!.:;.' "She is done with earth life thr strand) said story She hath seen the face of the Kinc in H a plory. She, hath drunk of the River whos-- w.iv.j is balm. And the Virgin's crown and th vict-T -; palm ? Are hers forever No fear of pain Oh! who would call her to earth again? "And thus we muse of the captive fre1. And thu would comfort the hearts that bleed. The hearts sore wounded and nish t break. While they look on that sleep so fair t ' see. . And moan. Ah! yes. it is well with tli. e: But, oh! beloved, if thou could wake!" MISS LOUISE IMOGEN GUIXEY was.born in Roxbury. Mass.. Jan. 7. ; 1S6I. and made her studies at the Notr Dame Academy of Roxbury and lat-! lat-! terly at the Convent of the Sacred i Heart, "Elmhurst," Providence, R. I., where she graduated in 1879. She ia one of the youngest and brightest writers writ-ers engaged in current literary work. Her father was rme of the most gal- j lant soldiers that Massachusetts sent to the CivW War. As a little child she '. shared her father's life in camp, and one of the most charming essays was written on that episode. Her mother was widowed, when she was still a child. Miss Guiney has been carefully tralned and brings to literary work attainments more solid and varied than belong to most young women. She is f beautiful In face, lithe and straight in j figure, and is an object of admiration , ; in the suburbs of Boston, her home ' being in Auburndale. where she is seen ; on the turnpike and in the woods like m ' a young Diana, accompanied by a j ereat St Rprriflrrf rimer the- p-ift i-if nra I of her father's friends. She now hunts. skates and uses a bicycle with equal j grace. Her first volume of poems attracted attention immediately by the distinct ; note of literary style that character- ' ized them. Her work showed from the beginning a polish, but sometimes I seems a little overdone. It is believed j by competent critics that there is no other woman, in New England who ! possesses the instinct of style in equal I degree. j Misa Guiney's prose volume was en- j titled "Goose Quill Papers"; her first , volume of verse is known as "Songs at the Start." She is a frequent con- j tributor to the Atlantic Monthly and the Catholic World, the Century Maga- j zine and other periodicals, and her : work commands the highest price. She j spent a year abroad, living in the sub- ; urbs of London most of the time and studying the haunts of the fathers of -r-ngnsn poetry, so mat. sne was aoie last year to produce a series of papers superior in appreciation, insight and execution to any literary work of that character that has been produced for years in this country. She is a good Latin scholar, fluent in ; French and Italian, and an accomplished accom-plished musician. ' With youth, energy and industry, a noble character and an attractive personality, per-sonality, with an. honorable place achieved in letters while her resources are still but half developed, it is not rash to predict within the next decada that Louise Imogen Guiney will make I for herself a great and enduring name j nil xuugiiBii jilci iu: e. n I In our own Garden City we have tal- j i ent to boast of in the well known i j ELIZA ALLEN STARR. v I Miss Starr was born in Deerfield, j Mass., in 1824. The founder of the fam- i ily, Dr. Comfort Starr, was an English- man, and came to Cambridge in 16."4. His son. Rev. Comfort Starr. D. I)., was graduated fiom Hjrva d u liversity in 16IV, and was one of the five fel-1 fel-1 lows named in the college charter, dat-i dat-i ed May 10, 1630. r On the maternal side Miss Starr is I descended from "Allers of the Bars.' originally of England, distinguished in. the colonial history of Deerfield from the time of King Philip's war. The domestic do-mestic atmosphere Miss Starr breathed from childhood was of that rarer sort In which heart and mind alike developed, develop-ed, vigorously stimulated by the tender-est tender-est family affection, union of intellectual intellec-tual interests and a noble ideal of social so-cial obligations, while the lore of and familiarity with nature so noticeable in her poems and her highly cultivated artistic sense found their first discipline discip-line in the woods arid vales, the picturesque pictur-esque surroundings cf and traditions of h "New England birthplace. ''While still in early womanhood, she ; passea rrom tne scnoiariy iimuence i'i i j the home circle, to enjoy alt that was I be3t in Boston culture, and to profit also by the intellectual resources of I Philadelphia, where hef cousin. George Allen. LL. D., was professor of Greek f and Latin in the Univtrsity of Pcnn- I sylvania. In the latter city Miss Siarr was privileged to number among her most intimate friends the illustrious j Archbishop Kendrick. most widely ' known, perhaps, through his transla- i tions of the Holy Scriptures. With his encouragement, several of her early ' poems found their way into print, and the influence of the same learned prel- jr ate introduced her to those deeper stu- f dies which eventually led her into the Catholic church. When, some years i later, the family settled in the West, i Miss Starr, while continuing always her purely literary pursuits, began the special spe-cial art work with which her name is uniform and execution entirely unique. In 1S67 Miss Starr published a volume of poems, edited ' by Professor Allen, which was favorably received, and later twi volumes, entitled "Patron Saints." On her return from Europe, in 1876. a volume on "Pilgrims and Shrines" was published. It is a charm- f ing work on art literature. This vol- j ume was. illustrated by etchings of sketches made on the spots vitited. The ' -; "Songs of a Life Time" contain the p- ems- published as late as 1SS7. To the i "Songs of a Life Time" has succeeded "Isabella of Castile." dedicated to the t Queen Isabella association. Miss Starr's home is a center of art j and education, benevolent enterprises and social influence, the highest charm of which is the remarkable personality of its venerated mistress. And lastly, the greatest of all literary liter-ary characters, and one who does Chi-ccro Chi-ccro proud, MRS. MARGARET F. SULLIVAN. It is with the most profound honor and respect for the ' broad colossal mind, mingled with the deepest love for the womanly heart, that I speak oC a woman without a superior or even an equal in literature and journalism, ir she has a superior in her line, let her be brought forth that we. may pay trib- ' - y - ! u. v 1 1 " " "" - """"" - tle to her. It is not often such opportunities oppor-tunities are offered in. the brief space of a lifetime. - Margaret Buchanan was born in Tyrone. Ireland. Her father, James nuc ha nan, a descendant of Scotch immigrants, im-migrants, who entered Ireland in the seventeenth oentury. was profitably engaged en-gaged in the: flax industry. A man of ' FtcrlinR character, refined in his tastes and thrifty in his occupation. Her m.iiher. wkw strong characteristics were u deep religious feeling: and entire devotion to her children, was of the Irith O'Gnrmans. The death of her fa: her while Marpraret was an infant made it prudeiit for the family to seek a new home, and they settled in Detroit, De-troit, where he was given excellent educational advantages, learning the. ; 1 " classics, modern languaRcs, mathemat- i i s and music. She began to write when j she was 14 yeai r old. At this ase some of her translations of the Aeneid were j found worthy of publication, though the writer was unknown. m i She came to Chicago on a" visit when t ' a young girl, but her extraordinary " love for her mother compelled her to I return to her home in Detroit. Again j she turned her footsteps towards the I setting sun and this time remained, j She made her home with the ladies of ihe Sacred Heart, and while there wit- I nessed a reception of several young la- j dies into the order. She wrote the de- i scription of the reception, calling at the Tribune office and asking the city editor edi-tor if he wished to use the article. She was told to leave it and call me next day for an answer, which she did. to learn that the article was so good that the editor woulo pay &n' price for articles arti-cles from so fluent and fascinating a pen. "Could she furnish more such ar- tides for him?" She could, and did. For years she wrote on the vexed problems prob-lems of political and social science, and - finally powerful .upon brilliant descriptive descrip-tive work and discriminating criticisms, criti-cisms, , She was for years literary editor and editorial writer for the Chicago Times, which she left to go to the Paris Exposition. Ex-position. After her return she accepted an excellent ex-cellent offer from the Chicago Herald as editorial writer, for which paper she . continues to -write, i Soe has written a lwok entitled "Ire- land of Today," which is considered one of the ablest works of its kind and has reached a sale of ?0.000 copies. It was published in Philadelphia in 1SS2. In 18S5. in company with Mrs. Blake. Mrs. Sullivan wnt ot Old Mexico and j the two prepared a work published by I,ee & Shenherd of Boston, entitled. "Mexico. Picturesque. Political and Progressive." Mrs. Blake wrote the descriptive chapter and Mrs. Sullivan those on the history and industrials of the country- It has had and continues to have a large sale. Being a student of habit and a ready composer, she has devoted most of her leisure to contributing chiefly in prose to the Catholic V.'orld, the American Catholic Quarterly Review and other . . periodicals. Her strongest newspaper work was the editorial-" on the Democratic policy. called "Let It Die." It was copied in t-very paper of any note in the United j States, and strangers were loth to be-j be-j lieve that a woman wrote so powerful j an article on politics. x Mrs. Sullivan was offered the first i place on the Press congress of the World's Fair to make the leading ad- j dress to the chairman of the Isabella , Press committeei. and to be a member of the congress committee on historical j literature, and declined all. Mrs. Ear- , 1 nest Hart also invited her to deliver. a I series of lectures on Irish art and arch- I aeoJogy in the Midway Plaisance, and S this also she declined. ! Young ladies of liesure have asked - f ir and been granted the pleasure of j studving under Mrs. Sullivan's direc- j tion "after graduating from the best of J seminaries. f One of her pupils describes her first e mi-o siiiHirnn on thp occasion of J taking a lesson, as follows: "I shall t never forget it." she said. "I went filled ! with mv own importance and bent on J dissaving to Mrs. Sullivan all I knew, S and I am certain that every girl m the jt ciass entertained the same thought. Af- ; ter our arrival she presented each with a paper ami pencil and gave a certain word in a sentence to parse and tell all we knew of the word. When we left, or rather, before ie left the house, we , were qually filld with the thought that we had a superior in this woman and we ourselves knew but very little. I I look back to those days with a longing I and reeret that they are past. She $i:ide study a pleasure." Her first understanding with a class is that she will take no present or remuneration re-muneration of any kind from her pupils. pu-pils. She works for the love of study. She is charitable and kind, even to her enemies, and many a woman, almost ! despairing, has sought solace and com- fort from one whom they know will not t W foil V.1t-. Ill ii vi in lhtir nppd. j Her patience in times of agonizing I grief is phenomenal. She is a devout Catholic, a loving wife and a noble wo-' wo-' man. One ot her poems, "The Irish i Famine." was first made public on the t occasion of Charles Parnell and John Dillons recent ion in Chicago, as repre sentatives of Ireland, by SO.000 persons, in the Exposition building. It was recited re-cited by Miss Emily Gorin. her voice leing not only full of feeling, but of Fuch remarkable strength as to reach ? all in the vast audience. The poem i provoked in turn tho widest enthusiasm i and copious tears. |