the patriotic women engaged with the various soldiers' aid societies of the West during the late war. She was born in the town of Manchester, Vermont, February 12th, 1831.

Two years after, her father removed his family to the state of New York, and from thence, in the fall of 1843, he came west to Illinois. Here Miss Colby availed herself of all the facilities for education afforded by the new country, and by her energy and perseverance, so prominently displayed later in life, overcame all difficulties and at an early age was qualified and employed as a teacher in some of the most important institutions then in the West. As an educator, Miss Colby was eminently successful; she possessed those rare qualities which secured the love of the children at the same time that she insisted upon unqualified obedience, and with these combined an ability to impart instruction possessed by few and in which she is excelled by none.

In the spring of 1853, she was married to her present husband, and together they visited Memphis, Tennessee, with the intention of making it their permanent home. Going among perfect strangers, and with limited means but brilliant anticipations, it is not strange that they met with obstacles to success which they had not contemplated, and which would have discouraged less determined and persevering natures. They returned to Illinois, and settled in Chicago, in 1855; and here Mrs. Bradwell's whole time was given to her social and domestic duties till after the commencement of the war, in 1861. In

the fall of that year, her husband was elected Judge of the County Court of Cook county, to which office he was afterward re-elected, and which he still fills, with credit to himself and with satisfaction to his constituents. The Judge, at the time of his first election, and previous thereto, was an earnest Democrat, at the same time Mrs. Bradwell was an equally earnest Republican; and this well illustrates an important trait of her character: she is an independent thinker—accepts no principle at second hand or upon mere authority.

The rebellion, which broke so many party ties, made a Republican of her husband and an earnest supporter of the Government during the war for its suppression. He was especially earnest and more than usually successful in raising men to fill the vari. ous calls for soldiers. One company, known as the Bradwell Guards, named after himself, was raised and sent into the field almost entirely through his exertion and influence. Mrs. Bradwell was no less earnest in patriotic work, though in a different field. Quite well do I remember that when a dollar subscription was proposed, as a basis upon which to begin the Soldiers' Home, Mrs. Bradwell took the little pass-book, and directing and inspiring others, went, in storm, and rain, and wintry frosts, from door to door, soliciting the mites and adding them together-thus laying the foundation of a great work, and also a mighty energy in herself, which afterward culminated in her obtaining a State appropriation of thousands.

With others, she established the Soldiers' Home in Chicago, and when established, performed her full share of the work for making it a success. It is not too much to say that the Home, as a permanent institution, owes more to Mrs. Bradwell than to any other one person. When it was dependent upon charity, she begged for it; when its duties were performed by the unpaid labor of its friends, she gave up her social pleasures and domestic duties that the Home-work might be done-laboring day after day, and almost night after night, frequently not reaching home till eleven or twelve in the evening. At the session of the Legislature, in 1867, Mrs. Bradwell, at the request of the managers of the Home, visited Springfield, and by her exertion and influence obtained State aid for the institution, of twenty-four thousand dollars; thus making it, pecuniarily, a success beyond any contingency. For several years she performed for the Home either the duties of Secretary or Treasurer, and more recently of both. It is impossible to itemize the work done by Mrs. Bradwell in connection with this institution. As Secretary, she has written hundreds of letters soliciting for it aid and influence; as Treasurer she has kept its financial accounts and paid its bills; as a member of the Home Board, she has given her time to overseeing its general management.

But the Home was only one of the patriotic enterprises in which she was engaged during the war. She aided in establishing the Soldiers' Rest, and labored earnestly for its success. Some idea of the

work performed by those engaged in this enterprise can be gained from the fact, that in one week, when Mrs. Bradwell was at the Rest, about twenty thous and meals were furnished to the passing soldiers. She was an equally earnest laborer with all the Soldiers' Relief Societies of our city; nor to these alone was her time and work confined. Of the "Woman's Relief Society," in those times so much needed for aged mothers and helpless families of soldiers, the Chicago Journal speaks thus:

"That Mrs. Judge Bradwell and Mrs. L. Kimbark have charge of the enterprise, is sufficient indication of its complete success."

Mrs. Bradwell encouraged, labored for, and helped those poor creatures as though each one had sisterly claims upon her bounty.

No one

With her husband she put forth renewed energy to make the great Sanitary Fair a success. who visited the department of "Arms and Trophies," at Bryan Hall, can forget the taste and perfection of this rarest collection of the whole Fair; nor need they be told of the labor of bringing them together and effecting such glorious results. This department was under the entire supervision of herself and her husband, and owed its great success to their united labors. For thirty-one days, consecutively, with the exception of a single Sabbath, (and sometimes working all night,) she was engaged in this work. With a fine and delicate organization, it is surprising how she endured the fatigues to which she was subjected; but her will-power was all-sufficient for the task.

She would lay her plans with care and foresight, and with gentle persistency work up to them with the skill and self-poise of a lieutenant-general. Commanding while seeming to serve, leading when appearing to follow, no obstacles were too great for her to remove from her path and make the way clear for her purpose.

Her husband's position and popularity gave her rare opportunities for usefulness, but her own versatile talents and inexhaustible genius gave her still greater.

Said an eastern lady: "When we were told that our department was to be under the supervision of a judge's lady, we expressed our regrets. We pictured her as being tall, dignified, controlling-fond of being seen and doing nothing—and so far as we thought of self, we bemoaned our position at her side; but, when a little lady, in deep black, came among us, taking us warmly by the hand, and talking to us of the hills and dales of New England-the lawns on which we played in youth, the grand old elms that drooped above the school-house, where she like so many of us had attended,--she at once charmed us into service; and when, with moistened eye and touching accents, she told me of the loss of her darling daughter, just the age of my own I was then in mourning for, my heart went out to her in a warm, fixed, firm embrace that time can not overcome, and I have ever since proved her to be my highest ideal of woman." This is no uncommon feeling for Mrs. Bradwell to inspire, and it is almost impossible to be associated with her and not to love her.