Page:Woman of the Century.djvu/243

238 become impressed with a recognition of the heavy responsibilities of the ownership of slaves, and she had been the regular instructor of the young negroes on the plantation. Amid the cares attendant upon the mother of a family of eight children, she began her literary career, in 1870. "Frank Leslie's Magazine," the "Century," the "Atlantic Monthly." "Youths' Companion" and various newspapers have accepted her contributions. In both prose and poetry she has given to future generations a glimpse of her country's old-time life and customs. Among these are her "Old Vote for Young Master" and "Out on A' Scurgeon."

DELAND, Mrs. Margaret, poet and novelist, born in Pittsburgh, Pa., 23rd February, 1857. Her maiden name was Margaret Campbell. She was reared in Pittsburgh, in the family of her uncle, Hon. Benjamin Campbell. When she was seventeen years of age, she went to Pelham Priory, a boarding school in New Rochelle, near New York, Citv. Afterwards she entered the Cooper Institute and took the course in industrial design. A little later and she taught drawing and design in the Normal College of New York for a short time. In 1880 she became the wife of Lorin F. Deland and with her husband removed to Boston, Mass., which city has since been her home. Mr. Deland is possessed of literary tastes and ability, and his critical interest is of much assistance to bet in her work. Mrs. Deland began to write in 1884. Her introduction to the public was a curious incident. While walking one morning with Miss Lucy Derby in Boston, they stepped into a market to make some purchases. While they were waiting, Mrs Deland busied herself in writing several stanzas of rhyme on a piece of brown paper lying on the counter. Miss Derby read the verses with an exclamation of surprise and delight. The poem was the dainty and widely known "Succory." Miss Derby insisted on sending it to the editor of "Harper's Magazine." The result was that she began to publish. Several of her poems were sent to the same magazine without her knowledge. Others followed in the "Century" and other magazines. These were received with such favor that she collected her poems and had them published under the title of "The Old Garden and Other Verses" (Boston, 1886). Not yet conscious of her power, she issued only a limited edition, which was exhausted within a few days. Since then that volume has gone through six editions. Her next and greatest work was the celebrated novel, "John Ward, Preacher" (Boston, 1888), which passed through six editions in five months. She has since written a descriptive work, "Florida Days " (Boston, 1889), a second novel entitled "Sidney" (Boston, 1890), and short stories for the "Atlantic Monthly" and "Longman's Magazine."

DELETOMBE, Miss Alice S., poet, born in Gallipolis, Ohio, 2nd April, 1854. She is descended from an old French family long identified with the history of her native town. In early childhood Miss Deletombe displayed a talent for music, inherited from her mother, but delicacy of health prevented full development of that rich faculty, and the musical bent was turned into poetical channels, the eager soul finding that outlet of expression a silent solace through many sad years. Her sensitiveness is averse to criticism and publicity, a peculiarity which has ever been at war with her best interests. It is a remarkable fact that but few of her friends knew of her as a poet until recently, and that for over twenty years she has written for the mere pleasure of expressing her poetical thoughts, and not for any ulterior ambition or reputation. The admixture of French and German blood, she might say, "puts glamour into all I see." She has the French vivacity subdued by German sentiment, subtlety and harmony. The result is music and poetry. Some of her best poems were published