Transcriber’s Notes: The spelling, hyphenation, punctuation and accentuation are as the original, except for apparent typographical errors which have been corrected. Italic text is denoted _thus_. See further notes at the end of the book. THIRTEEN YEARS OF A BUSY WOMAN’S LIFE _BY THE SAME AUTHOR_ GEORGE HARLEY, F.R.S.; OR, THE LIFE OF A LONDON PHYSICIAN THROUGH FINLAND IN CARTS. (Several Editions) A WINTER JAUNT TO NORWAY „ DANISH VERSUS ENGLISH BUTTER-MAKING THE OBER-AMMERGAU PASSION PLAY WILTON, Q.C.; OR, LIFE IN A HIGHLAND SHOOTING-BOX A GIRL’S RIDE IN ICELAND. (Several Editions) BEHIND THE FOOTLIGHTS „ MEXICO AS I SAW IT „ SUNNY SICILY „ PORFIRIO DIAZ. THE MAKER OF MODERN MEXICO HYDE PARK. ITS HISTORY AND ROMANCE THIRTEEN YEARS OF A BUSY WOMAN’S LIFE [Illustration: _Photo by Hoppé, 1911_ WRITING] THIRTEEN YEARS OF A BUSY WOMAN’S LIFE By MRS. ALEC TWEEDIE LONDON: JOHN LANE, THE BODLEY HEAD NEW YORK: JOHN LANE COMPANY TORONTO: BELL & COCKBURN. MCMXII THIRD EDITION WILLIAM BRENDON AND SON, LTD., PRINTERS, PLYMOUTH CONTENTS PAGE PROLOGUE 3 PART I CHILDHOOD CHAPTER I. THE GOLDEN AGE 11 PART II GIRLHOOD II. THE GIRL IS MOTHER TO THE WOMAN 25 PART III WOMANHOOD III. “Wooed and Married, and a’” 37 IV. “A WINTER JAUNT TO NORWAY” 49 V. “THE TENDER GRACE OF A DAY THAT IS DEAD” 58 PART IV WIDOWHOOD AND WORK VI. WIDOWHOOD AND WORK 65 VII. WRITERS: SIR WALTER BESANT, JOHN OLIVER HOBBES, MRS. RIDDELL, MRS. LYNN LINTON 80 VIII. JOURNALISM 94 IX. ON THE MAKING OF BOOKS 107 X. THE END OF A CENTURY 116 XI. MEXICO AS I SAW IT 123 XII. THE CONTENTS OF A WORKING-WOMAN’S LETTER-BOX 133 PART V THE SWEETS OF ADVERSITY XIII. PAINTERS 145 XIV. SCULPTORS 161 XV. MORE PAINTERS, AND WHISTLER IN PARTICULAR 168 XVI. “THEY THAT GO DOWN TO THE SEA IN SHIPS” 180 XVII. LORD LI AND A CHINESE LUNCHEON 188 XVIII. FROM STAGELAND TO SHAKESPEARE-LAND 199 XIX. WOMAN NOWADAYS 209 XX. AMERICAN NOTES 224 XXI. CANADIAN PEEPS 241 XXII. ON PUBLIC DINNERS 256 XXIII. PRIVATE DINNERS 270