Thirteen Years of a Busy Woman's Life

by Mrs. Alec-Tweedie

ILLUSTRATIONS

Writing. Hoppé		[Frontispiece]
		TO FACE PAGE
Original Letter from Bismarck		[16]
Hans Breitmann’s Ballad		[31]
Author’s Hand		[33]
Grapes growing on a London Balcony		[42]
Borkum of Spy fame. (Sketch by Author)		[47]
When first a Widow		[65]
Mrs. Alec Tweedie’s Writing-table		[94]
The Writer in Divided Riding-skirt in Southern Mexico		[123]
The Author, by Herbert Schmalz		[145]
Half-hour Sketch of Author, by John Lavery		[156]
Water-colour Sketch, by Percy Anderson		[161]
Walter Crane’s most famous Book-plate		[175]
Characteristic Postcard, by Bernard Shaw		Page	[262]
Christmas Card, by Harry Furniss		„	[303]
Christmas Card, designed by John Hassall		„	[316]
Buried in Parcels, by Harry Furniss	(TO FACE)	„	[320]
Sketch by “Spy”	„	„	[356]

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THIRTEEN YEARS
OF A BUSY WOMAN’S LIFE

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THIRTEEN YEARS
OF A BUSY WOMAN’S LIFE

PROLOGUE

ONE day in the ’nineties I was quietly sitting in my library, when the door opened and a gentleman was announced. Standing solemnly before me, he said:

“I have come to thank you for my life.” I looked at him. Was the man sane? Was he suffering from hallucinations, or what on earth did he mean?

“Yes,” he repeated solemnly, “I have come to thank you for my life.”