Page:Sketches of representative women of New England.djvu/526

Rh was a stronghold of outlaws in the Virginia mountains that she had to visit in order to accomplish her purpose; and it was through the exercise of the greatest tact and promptness that she succeeded in bringing the men away. As President of the W. C. T. U., Mrs. Fessenden had many interesting experiences. One of these was when, through the invitation from the captain and chaplain, she conducted on the United States warship "Massachusetts" a Sunday service which was attended by sailors from three vessels. Another was the occasion when she presided at the banquet and reception to Lady Henry Somerset at Music Hall; and a third at Hotel Vendome, the breakfast to Frances E. Willard, at which there were six hundred guests.

An experience of a different kind, which she felt her office required of her, was a visit she made to the slums, that she might see for herself life in its various phases. Accompanied by two policemen, she spent the entire night in the worst part of Boston, visiting Chinese and Italian quarters, police stations, and so- called hotels.

In 1899 Mrs. Fessenden had a second great loss in the death of her only son, AVilliam Chaffin Fessenden, who had been graduated from Andover in 1898, and had entered upon his first pastorate at New Boston, Mass. He was a young man of high promise, both as preacher and thinker.

Mrs. Fessenden herself has frequently responded to invitations to preach in Congregational, Baptist, and Methodist pulpits. When only twelve years old, she united with the Presbyterian church, at a time when young people were rarely admitted to church membership.

At present Mrs. Fessenden is Vice-President of the Massachusetts Woman's Suffrage Association, National Lectiwer for the W. C. T. U., and a leader and teacher of classes in parliamentary law. She early found that she could most effectively help the causes in which she was interested by the spoken rather than the written word, and her literary work has been confined to articles on vital subjects and stories for children's magazines. As a speaker, her power to hold audiences is very marked, and people like Dr. Lorimer, Mary A. Livermore, the late Joseph Cook, and Frances E. Willard have spoken enthusiastically of her ability. She has a fine presence, a melodious voice, a logical mind, and great skill in presenting her arguments forcibly.

Joseph Cook praised her "good judgment, good taste, courage, and alertness." Miss Willard said: "It is her good fortune to have something to say and to say it with clearness and conviction, wit and wisdom." Neal Dow said, "There is not within my knowledge a more devoted friend of temperance, nor one whose work on the platform is more acceptable and effective than hers."

ARRO MORRELL CLARK, the only woman publisher of note in the country to-day, is a native of Maine. Ten years ago she left the pleasant farm home in the town of Unity, where she was born, and came to Boston, having no definite purpose beyond a desire to ascertain what chance there was for a girl whose ambitions reached beyond farm life. Her bright, business-like manner carried her rapidly forward, and she was so successful in her efforts for others that she soon decided to reap the full benefit of her energies for herself. Accordingly in 1892 she opened in her own name a book and stationery store in the Back Bay, where her patronage included from the start .some of the most exclusive families of Boston. Of this very successful enterprise -she was sole owner and manager for about nine years.

In September, 1900, Miss Clark organized the C. M. Clark Publishing Company of Boston, of which she is the head. This enterprising house in its first year of existence achieved the remarkable distinction of producing two works of fiction both of which within one month from their publication were classed among the six best selling books throughout the country. The first was "Quincy Adams Sawyer," a New England story, which came out on November 3, 1900, and rapidly jumped into the very small class of books selling nearly two hundred thousand in less than one year from publication