Excerpt from Thirteen Years of a Busy Woman’s Life
My father’s life had helped many men who had never seen or met him. Well if I, a woman, could in some lesser manner help some lone, struggling women who, like myself, after being reared in wealth, suddenly found themselves forced to toil for those little luxuries which to a refined woman are verily the necessaries of life, I too might be Of use.
The Society bride who went to Ascot on a drag; to Rane lagh, Hurlingham, or Sandown in her husband’s buggy, or drove her own Park phaeton and pair; the pampered, spoilt well-dressed young wife, who only lived for a good time, at one fell swoop lost all.
A hard school - more kicks than halfpence - and yet now it is passed one is almost thankful for the experience, thankful for each link in the chain so Often welded with fire and tears.
Two things made life possible - ambition for one’s chil dren and the kindly hand of friendship - two most precious pearls in the diadem of life. These, and’a mother’s devotion and encouragement.
That hard time of Egyptian slavery is over my thirteen years’ task is ended. The widow’s cruse may run low, but need not be empty if she has health and courage to work yes, work, work, and still keep on working.
Only let me deplore the unfortunate circumstances that allow the possibilities of widows and children left to battle with the world, without sufficient means for a home and education after being born in luxury.
I won’t attempt to write my memoirs, but just jot down a few Odds and ends before they slip my memory.
Memory is an excellent institution, and Often assertive until one begins to write. Then nasty little doubts have a way of creeping in, doubts about dates, spelling of names, the actual perpetrator of a certain cute act, or the inception of a particular thought. Each year fills memory’s slate more full, and the Older markings become gradually obliterated as new pencillings take their place.
About the Publisher
Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com
This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.
