Juliana Horatia Ewing And Her Books | Page 2

Stories in Vol. XVI., _Mary's Meadow_, etc.
The Letter with which this volume concludes was one of the last that
Julie wrote, and its allusion to Gordon's translation seemed to make it
suitable for the End.
After her death the readers of _Aunt Judy's Magazine_ subscribed
enough to complete the endowment (£1000) of a Cot at the
Convalescent Home of the Hospital for Sick Children, _Cromwell
House, Highgate_. This had been begun to our Mother's memory, and
was completed in the joint names of Margaret Gatty and Juliana
Horatia Ewing. So liberal were the subscriptions that there was a
surplus of more than £200, and with this we endowed two £5 annuities
in the _Cambridge Fund for Old Soldiers_--as the "Jackanapes," and
"Leonard" annuities.
Of other memorials there are the marble gravestone in Trull
Churchyard, and Tablet in Ecclesfield Church, both carved by Harry
Hems, of Exeter, and similarly decorated with the double lilac
primrose,--St. Juliana's flower.
In Ecclesfield Church there is also a beautiful stained window, given by
her friend, Bernard Wake. The glass was executed by W.F. Dixon, and
the subject is Christ's Ascension. Julie died on the Eve of Ascension
Day.
Lastly, there is a small window of jewelled glass, by C.E. Kempe, in St.

George's Church, South Camp, Aldershot, representing St. Patrick
trampling on a three-headed serpent, emblematical of the powers of evil,
and holding the Trefoil in his hand--a symbol of the Blessed Trinity.
HORATIA K.F. EDEN.
Rugby, 1896.
* * * * *
_The frontispiece portrait of Mrs. Ewing is a photogravure produced by
the Swan Electric Engraving Company, from a photograph taken by Mr.
Fergus of Largs_.
_All the other illustrations are from Mrs. Ewing's own drawings, except
the tail-piece on p. 136. This graceful ideal of Mrs. Ewing's grave was
an offering sent by Mr. Caldecott shortly after her death, with his final
illustrations to "Lob Lie-by-the-Fire."_
All hearts grew warmer in the presence Of one who, seeking not his
own, Gave freely for the love of giving, Nor reaped for self the harvest
sown.
Thy greeting smile was pledge and prelude Of generous deeds and
kindly words: In thy large heart were fair guest-chambers, Open to
sunrise and the birds!
The task was thine to mould and fashion Life's plastic newness into
grace; To make the boyish heart heroic, And light with thought the
maiden's face.
* * * * *
O friend! if thought and sense avail not To know thee henceforth as
thou art, That all is well with thee forever, I trust the instincts of my
heart.
Thine be the quiet habitations, Thine the green pastures, blossom sown,
And smiles of saintly recognition, As sweet and tender as thy own.

Thou com'st not from the hush and shadow To meet us, but to thee we
come; With thee we never can be strangers, And where thou art must
still be home.
"A Memorial."--JOHN G. WHITTIER.

JULIANA HORATIA EWING AND HER BOOKS.


PART I.
In Memoriam
JULIANA HORATIA,
SECOND DAUGHTER OF THE REV. ALFRED GATTY, D.D.,
AND MARGARET, HIS WIFE, BORN AT ECCLESFIELD,
YORKSHIRE, AUGUST 3, 1841, MARRIED JUNE 1, 1867, TO
ALEXANDER EWING, MAJOR, A.P.D., DIED AT BATH, MAY 13,
1885, BURIED AT TRULL, SOMERSET, MAY 16, 1885.
I have promised the children to write something for them about their
favourite story-teller, Juliana Horatia Ewing, because I am sure they
will like to read it.
I well remember how eagerly I devoured the Life of my favourite
author, Hans Christian Andersen; how anxious I was to send a
subscription to the memorial statue of him, which was placed in the
centre of the public Garden at Copenhagen, where children yet play at
his feet; and, still further, to send some flowers to his newly-filled
grave by the hand of one who, more fortunate than myself, had the
chance of visiting the spot.
I think that the point which children will be most anxious to know

about Mrs. Ewing is how she wrote her stories. Did she evolve the plots
and characters entirely out of her own mind, or were they in any way
suggested by the occurrences and people around her?
The best plan of answering such questions will be for me to give a list
of her stories in succession as they were written, and to tell, as far as I
can, what gave rise to them in my sister's mind; in doing this we shall
find that an outline biography of her will naturally follow. Nearly all
her writings first appeared in the pages of _Aunt Judy's Magazine_, and
as we realize this fact we shall see how close her connection with it was,
and cease to wonder that the Magazine should end after her death.
Those who lived with my sister have no difficulty in