Stories for children written by English novelist Maria Louise Ramé (although she preferred to be known as Marie Louise de la Ramée) (1839-1908) and who often used the pen name Ouida. She was born in Bury St. Edmunds, England, to a French father and an English mother. She derived her pen name from her own baby-talk nickname for "Louise". During her career, she wrote more than 40 novels, children's books and collections of short stories and essays. She was an animal rights activist and animal rescuer, and at times owned as many as thirty dogs. For many years she lived in London, but about 1874 she went to Italy, where she died.