Page:Woman of the Century.djvu/232

Rh series of articles descriptive of prominent race-horses. That she did under the pen-name " Australia." The articles were attributed to Mr. Murray himself and were so successful that they immediately

led to an engagement, and she became literary editor, remaining on the staff three years. She contributed much poetry to the paper under the pen-name "Lucrece," but afterwards signed her own name, both to prose and poetry. Her poems were widely copied and sometimes translated into other languages, returning to this country by being retranslated for "Littell's Living Age." Becoming New York correspondent for the Hartford "Daily Times," her letters appeared regularly therein for ten years, touching upon every possible subject, but more particularly devoted to dramatic criticism, art and reviews of notable books. Among the reviews was a notice of Elihu Vedders' "Omar-Khayyám," which was reproduced in a pamphlet, which, being sent to Rome, was pronounced by Mr. Vedder the most comprehensive and excellent review that had been produced. Constantly contributing to a number of publications, her first novel, "Sardia" (Boston, 1891), was successful, and in future she will devote considerable time to fiction. The best work of her life, which she values beyond any possible novel, is a work treating of what might be designated "The Science of the Hereafter," or "The Philosophy of After Death," soon to be published. Despite travel and the life of cities, her existence has been one of mental solitude. She has never found companionship of thought and labor. She has collected a library of a thousand volumes during twenty years, but they have been packed in boxes for seventeen out of the twenty. What she has done has been done alone, without books at hand, and usual incentives to new thought gained through literary intercourse.

DANNELLY, Mrs. Elizabeth Otis, poet, born in Monticello, Ga., 13th June, 1838. Her father, Jackson Marshall, is a native of Augusta, Ga. On her mother's side she is descended from an old Huguenot family named Grinnell.

Her grand-father, Peter Grinnell, was closely connected with Henry Grinnell, of Arctic Expedition fame, and was also a first cousin to Oliver Hazard Perry. Her grandmother was a daughter of Anthony Dyer, uncle of Elisha Dyer, Governor of Rhode Island. While quite young, her father moved to Oxford, Ga., the seat of Emory College, where her early education was begun. At the age of twelve years she was sent to school in Charleston, S. C., and from that city she entered the Madison Female College, Madison, Ga., from which institution she was graduated 26th July, 1855. Immediately after receiving her diploma, Miss Otis went to New York City, where one year was spent in studying painting. Her father in the meantime had moved from Savannah to Madison, where she became the wife, 4th September, 1862, of Dr. F. Olin Dannelly, the son of Rev. James Dannelly, of South Carolina, the celebrated preacher-wit of that time. Dr. Dannelly was at the time of his marriage a surgeon in the Confederate army, stationed in Richmond, Va. Shortly after, he was ordered to Columbia, S. C., where they continued to reside until the close of the war. About that time Mrs. Dannelly wrote her famous poem, "The Burning of Columbia," which was especially prized in the South and added to the popularity of her volume of poems, "Cactus, or Thorns and Blossoms" (New York, 1879). Soon after the close of the war Dr. Dannelly removed to Baltimore, Md., where he resumed the practice of medicine, in which profession he had attained distinction. During the years of her residence in Baltimore Mrs. Dannelly occupied a leading social position. She was a frequent contributor to many of the leading periodicals and magazines of that day. After living five years in that city, the family removed to Texas,