M. J. HAW.

N the fall of 1863, the "Southern Illustrated News," published in Richmond, had the following announcement:

"AN ILLUSTRATED ROMANCE!

"PRIZE OF ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS!

"Having engaged the services of a corps of competent engravers, who are confidently expected to arrive in the Confederacy in a few weeks, the proprietors of the 'Illustrated News' will award a prize of one thousand dollars to the author of the best illustrated romance, to be submitted to them between the present date and the 1st of November next.

"September 5th, 1863.”

The time was extended to the 1st of December.

March 1st, 1864, the "News" announced that the prize for the best romance had been awarded to Miss M. J. Haw, of Hanover County, Virginia, for her story, entitled "The Rivals: A Tale of the Chickahominy."

The "committee" stated that, "in recommending the superiority of 'The Rivals,' they base their preference upon the fact that to its other excellences is added that of unity. The story itself is written with a pleasing simplicity of style and a freshness of interest."

Miss Haw had been a contributor to the "Magnolia Weekly," of tales, etc., signed with her initials, the only objection to which were the sombre backgrounds. "The Beechwood Tragedy" was the title of the first story we ever read from "M. J. H.'s" pen. The prize romance was her most ambitious and most successful effort.

Miss Haw had the misfortune to reside during the war "in the midst of battle-fields," and suffered from marauders and so-called scouting parties. The close of the war found her "moneyless," and since that time she has written for the "Christian Observer," and other Southern journals and magazines. Her post-office address is Old Church, Va.

1868

MRS. MARY WILEY,

("Margaret Stilling.")

NOM DE PLUME, in my opinion, should express character.

A South is

garet Stilling.' It attracted my attention at once." "Margaret Stilling" (the nom de plume of Miss Mary Evans) is a native and resident of Amelia County, Virginia. Her father, Dr. M. H. Evans, was a physician of some eminence in his profession. Her mother, who contributed poems to the "Southern Literary Messenger," many years ago, and published a volume of poems at Philadelphia in 1851, was of Northern birth-a Miss Stockton, related, I believe, to the celebrated Commodore Stockton.

The subject of this sketch was educated at the North, and is an elegant, accomplished woman, of high intellectual and musical culture, and a brilliant conversationist.

During the war, Miss Evans was a teacher, yet found time to cultivate the muses, to the pleasure of the "blockaded" Southrons, contributing her productions in prose and verse to the "Confederate" literary journals. Since the war, she has become Mrs. William Wiley, and only occasionally does she publish.

A BUNCH OF FLOWERS.

Across the leaves bright sunshine fell,
Touching their green with gold,
And tingeing, as some lustrous shell,
Each rosebud's crimson fold

A dewy network's pearly bands

Set, diamond-like, with light,

Stretched o'er each flower its gleaming strands,
With moonlight radiance bright.

While many a tiny, trembling spray,

Some liquid star-drop brushing,
Would flash from thence one silver ray,
And show a rosebud's blushing.

With mute delight I gazed on all,
Some charm my spirit thrilling,
Hearing His voice through nature call,
Each mystic yearning stilling.

Then 'gainst the wall the shadow fell,
An outline dim and strange,
As if the colors, limned so well,

Had known some wondrous change.

'Tis thus, O heaven, thy glories bright,
Fairer than star-gemmed skies,
Fall, shadowed with uncertain light,
Before our sin-stained eyes.

THE

MISS M. E. HEATH.

THE nom de plume of "Nettie Neale" was favorably known to the readers of the "Field and Fireside," a weekly literary journal published at Raleigh, N. C. A novelette, entitled "Eoland," which ran through a dozen issues of that journal, was favorably received.

Maggie E. Heath is a native of Petersburg, Va. She contributed to the Richmond "Christian Advocate" and "Home Circle" (Nashville), under the pseudonym of "Miriam," both prose and verse.

Miss Heath resides at Oakland. Her post-office address is Disputanta, Va. She has ready for publication a volume entitled "Under the Oaks."

1868.

MISS VIRGINIA E. DAVIDSON.

HE subject of this notice has always been an invalid. Says she,

the misfortune to be uneducated, except so far as a fine private library and an extraordinarily intelligent father's conversation and explanations could supply the painful deficiency."

She is the daughter of Colonel James Davidson, who was well known. in Petersburg, Virginia, (the home of Miss Davidson,) as a man of remarkably varied information upon all subjects and sciences, and who occasionally wrote verses. On her mother's side she is, by affinity, connected with the Harrisons, of James River; and the Claibornes, Maurys, and Fontaines, of this State. Her brother, W. F. Davidson, was an officer in the United States Navy, and was considered one of the finest mathematicians in that highly educated branch of the service: he also wrote poetry; and a sister has also evinced the same talent.

To best illustrate a determined spirit, and showing what can be done when one places their might at the wheel, we would mention that, at the age of sixteen, to use her own words, "I was so illiterate, I did not know or even understand the commonest branches of education, until one night a friend, younger than I, came to spend the evening. She contended with my father about a difference of opinion of Hector, and then of Ajax, Theseus, and Marc Antony. I sat fearful, lest they should call upon me as umpire; for I was entirely ignorant of these heroes. Fortunately, the conversation turned upon the beauties of poetry: upon this subject I knew a little, and gladly did I avail myself of my superficial knowledge. Ignorance was abashed, and I at once commenced, without consultation with any one, a three-hours' task of ancient history and mythological reading, until history became a mania and an idol. This was the commencement of my education." At the close of the war, Miss Davidson was no better off than the majority of her Southern sisters. "Necessity is the mother of invention, and poverty is the fruitful mother of energies," and at once in

Miss Davidson brain and will and determination awoke, and she wove the incidents detailed to her during social hours of pleasant association during the war into book-form, under the title of "Bloody Footprints." Some of the incidents of this volume were published in the "Southern Opinion," Richmond, under the name of “Virginia.” Miss Davidson has also written a novel, entitled "Philanthropist," and one which she has called "Principle and Policy." The last named is now in the hands of publishers in New York.

1868.

D'

MRS. J. W. MCGUIRE

IARY OF A SOUTHERN REFUGEE DURING THE WAR; by a lady of Virginia. New York. 1867.

The above is the title of Mrs. McGuire's only book. This work was not written with the intention of publication. It is a diary, written between the 4th of May, 1861, and the 4th of May, 1865,-while Mrs. McGuire was a "refugee" from her home, - for the benefit of the younger members of her family, who would naturally desire to know something of the inner life of their relatives during the terrible years indicated.

Mrs. McGuire's maiden name was Brockenborough. Her father was Judge of the Court of Appeals of Virginia. Richmond was the place of her nativity and early years.

After becoming the wife of Rev. John P. McGuire, an Episcopal clergyman, she lived for many years in the county of Essex. Her husband became rector of the Episcopal High School, near Alexandria, Va., where they lived until they became "refugees," as set forth in the "Diary." After the war, they moved into the village of Tappahannock, where Mrs. McGuire has ever since been the principal of a female school.