belles-lettres, political economy, botany, French, and art at Christian College, Columbia, Mo. Later she taught English at the University of Missouri. She then, in 1870, was unanimously elected engrossing clerk of the State Senate of Missouri, being the first woman elected to a legislative office in Missouri.

Early in life she developed an exceptional talent for writing and for twenty-five years was an almost constant contributor of short stories, poems, and newspaper articles to magazines and newspapers. Many of her numerous articles appeared under the nom de plume "Judy Catory" and her poems under that of "Sweet Brier". She was the recipient of various honors and literary prizes for her efforts. In 1873 she was the editor of the St. Louis Home Journal and in 1876 she established and edited The Spirit of '76, a weekly publication devoted to the interests of the Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia, Pa., and furnishing useful information to the exposition from Missouri. In the same year Gov. Hardin appointed her an honorary member of the board of state centennial managers in recognition of her efforts in behalf of Missouri's representation at the exposition. She served for a time as a member of the editorial staff of the St. Louis Globe Democrat, and also of the Chicago Inter-Ocean.

In 1881 Mrs. Burdett removed to Clarksville, Texas, where for a time, following the death of its editor, Col. Charles DeMorse, she was the editor of the