Mrs. Motley At The Ladies Union

MRS. MOTLEY AT THE LADIES UNION

Reviews Elbert Hubbard's Time and Chance

Prefaced with a Sketch of Hubbard's Life-The Next Meeting Will be Devoted to Civic Improvement

The large number of people who attended the meeting of the ladies' Union at the Unitarian church yesterday afternoon, were most pleasantly entertained by Mrs. Motley who gave an exhaustive review of Elbert Hubbard's latest book "Time and Chance."

Mrs. Motley preceded her review by giving a short sketch of the life of this man whose work has in every respect been a success.  Elbert Hubbard was born in Illinois forty-five years ago of humble parentage.  He was brought up as all country boys are, and was taught to do all kinds of farm work; he understood the woods, the fields and all sorts of animal life.

While still  a young boy he became dissatisfied with his life and went west and became a cowboy.  He afterword wrote newspaper articles, taught school, attended Harvard and graduated from college of "hard knocks."  He managed a soap factory, tramped through Europe and wrote two books for which he could find no publishers and last, but not least, founded the Roycroft shops at East Aurora, N. Y..  He won his greatest fame from the publication of a little poem called "The Message to Garcia" although he does not consider this his greatest work.  He says "It is not so much the work but it was written at an opportune time."

The book "Time and Chance" has for its hero John Brown of historical fame, of whom was written "John Brown's body lies mouldering in the grave while his soul goes marching on."  It is a romance and a history.  Incidents of the life of John Brown form a foundation for the story.  It begins with a wedding and ends with an execution.  A charming love story runs through the entire book.

The story depicts most interesting pioneer life on the Western Reserve, the first signs of dissatisfaction which arose over the conditions in the southern states of the operations of that little and of men and women who made the underground railway a success, and through whose efforts so many slaves reached freedom and safety.  He tells very realistically of the efforts which were made to hold Kansas true to the Union and of the bravery which John Brown showed in the few months preceding and of his efforts all through life to have slavery abolished and, finally, his brave death on the gallows after his arrest for treason at Harper's Ferry.

The whole story is true to history and tells in a most fascinating and attractive way of the experiences of this wonderful man. 

The next meeting will be devoted to Civic Improvement and the Consumers' League work will be discussed by Mrs. Chas. Cooley.