Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-02-08
CHARMING MEMORIES
OF 4 LONG LIFETIME
Mrs. Wheeler, Nonagendrian
Pioneer in Won,en's York,
Writes autobiography

Yesterdays in Busy Life" ls the
delightful story by Mrs. Candace
Wheeler OF my ninety years of travel
along the highways Of life" 1t Is OF
unusual interest, for II Is the account Of
an uncommoniy useful life, and brings
the reader into close touch with some Of
the most noteworthy men and women Of
the last century. Born on a farm in
central New York. her childhood was
passed In a family OF actual Puritans,
repeating In 1928 the lives Of our pioneer
New England forefathers a hundred
years before" The Bible was our 1T
erary bread. For mental exercise.
amusement. and improvement we read
foung's Night Thoughts Pollocks
Course of Time Milton's Paradise
Lost and, happily, The Pilgrims Prog
ress. +"
So strong was the antislavery feeling
that the products OF slave labor, white
sugar and cotton clothing. were never
used In her home II was one Of the
stations on the Underground Railroad" +"
and occasional, visitors were runaway
slaves on Their perilous way to Canada"
Her early married hfe was passed in
] D'Vohish, lnt btuEOOHlt Us ~ was
then called by the naughty metropolis"
New York, and here she made close
friends with many well-known people.
among whom we're william c. Bryant
and Washington Irving. There ! first
met" she writes, "Mr. Carnegie, a gay.
eager, delightful man unsmoothed by SO
cial processes" Then followed few
years In a modest cottage" In nearby
Jamaica. where In her garden she learn
ed that "one OF the most perfect and
unfailing joys of life is planting"
Her whole attitude toward life was
changed by a visit to the Centennial In
Philadelphia, where an exhibition Iof
needlework by English gentlewomen led
her to become a pioneer Of textile art
in America" To furnish an outlet for
the ability Of our educated women, and
to encourage profitable Industry
among those possessing artistic talent
was from this time the aim OF her life
She founded the Society OF Decorative
Art. It's success was so great that this
widening OF the field of woman's labor
was OF national importance In commerce
She became a member of the "Asso-
ciated Artists" and was appointed di-
rector of the Woman's Building OF the
Columbian Exposition at Chicago. This
work. which brought out IN her an uh'
looked-for talent in decorative art, and
in which her daughter Dora, Mrs. Keith
was the leader among women, created
friendships with the prominent Eng
lish and American artists and authors
Among them was Mark Twain, to an
account OF whom a chapter is devoted.
She made several foreign tours full
Of interesting Incidents. and gives de-
lightful descriptions of her charming
summer home in the Catskills. and her
winter home in Georgia. where this book
was written. 1t Is full Of lively Incidents
and bright stories of her numerous
friends. At a luncheon In her house
1--WE were company of perhaps dozen
authors, editors, writer's, artists, and
the like-Mrs Custer. Mrs. Dodge. Kate
Field, Mrs. Sangster, Kate Douglas Wig
gin, and others-all good friends and all
busy and capable women. Mrs. custer
looked across the table. Why, said
she. we are all workngwomen not
lady among US
YESTERDAYS IN 4 BUSY LIFE: BY Can
dace Wheeler. Illustrated, new iork'
Harper Bros 50.