Death of Bertha M. Clay.

Waikato Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2039, 1 August 1885, Page 6 (Supplement)

Death of Bertha M. Clay.

We regret to announce the death of the authoress of the story "His Oac Mistake," now being published in oux columns. The New York Weekly was the first paper to lecognise the cxtiaoidinary ments of this remarkable novelist, and the proprietors attached her exclusively to that paper. Mrs. Chailotte M. Brame, says the New York Weekly^ who achieved eclebnt) under her pen name of Bertha M. Clay, was the eldest daughter of the late Mr. Benjamin Low, of Leicester, England. She was born in the year 1836, in Hinchley, in the to.\n where she Licalhcd hei List. Her taste for hteiature was developed at a \ciy early age, and wlun but a hltlc gul her pacmg found ready inanition in the local pi ess. At the age of seventeen she published her fust short stor^, and it was so warmly praised that she was encouraged to educate herself, by a protracted course of stud)', for the profession of a novelist. Eveiy work likely to prove of benefit, in giving her a wide range of information, she eagerly and attentively read. Her familiarity with the various prominent places made the scenes of her matchless stories was indicated without ostentation, and has been one of the charms of her woiks. This familiarity she attained, in most cases, by close study of local history. In 1863 she became the wife of Mr. P. E. Brame, of London, where she lived for many years. Although her fame as a novelist is world-wide, those who were honored with her acquaintance admired her most. A friend and neighbor describes her as " one of the brightest, best, and most estimable of women. Purely noble, charitable almost to a fault (if such be possible), she possessed a cheerful mind, a vivid poetic imagination, was gifted with a wonderful memory, and had a keen perception and insight into character. She had a glowing, passionate love for flowers, as her stories indicate, and in society a marvellous conversational power and charm. Aside from all business interests, we deplore the death of this celebrated writer, whose ripeness and increasing strength of intellect were apparent in her later works. She was not only a gifted woman, but what is far more commendable, a sincere Christian, a devoted wife, an affectionate mother. She is deeply mourned by all who knew her, and her death will be sincerely lamented by the millions of readers who knew her only through her works — the countless multitude of admirers whom she entertained during the past ten years with her matchless stories. The first chapters of "His One Mistake " were printed in our columns last week, and we can vouch for the story being what we stated it to be and quite up to what might be expected from the gifted authoress. Copies of last week's issue containing the first chapters of " His One Mistake " can be had on application, and we request intending subscribers to forward their orders for the paper to our office as early as possible.

Doobti/Kbb the late Postmaster-General of England owed his euocesß largely to the ability, energy, and devotion of Mb exoellent wife, but there is no truth in the ourrent story that she onoe had her finger orushed in the car-riago-door hinge as she was riding to the House of Commons with him, and bravely endured the torture in silence rather than disturb him with the knowledge of it and thus imperil the Bucoessful delivery of the great speech he was about to makp. Such an tnoidont did occur, but Mrs. Benjamin Disraeli was the heroine of it, and but for her fortitude then, her husband perhaps never would have beoome Earl of Beaconsfield.

SiEEiioan be written upon or engraved by first cleaning it with oil and then spreading a coating of melted beeswax upon it. The writiog can then be done on the beeswax, with any sharp instrument, and the lines and marks thus made •hould be painted with a fine brush dipped in a liquid made of one ounce of nitrio aoid and one-sixth of an ounce of muriatic aoid. When the written lines me filled with this liquid, it should be allowed to remain five minutes, and then the article should be dipped in water and afterwards bleaned.