Page:Woman of the Century.djvu/71

66 Rose League. She has been a member of the Woman's Christian Temperance Union since its organization and has for years been a member of the Congregational church. BAYLOR, Miss Frances Conrtenay, author, born in Fayetteville, Ark., 20th January, 1848.

She is descended from an old Virginian family of English strain. Her childhood was spent in San Antonio and New Orleans, w here her father, an army officer, was stationed. She was educated principally by her mother and her aunt, in her own home. After the Civil War was ended, she went to Europe and spent the years 1865 to 1867 in travel and residence in England and on the Continent. She spent 1873-74 in Europe, and during her sojourn there she gathered the materials for her literary work. Since 1876 she has lived in an old home near Winchester, Va. Her literary career began with articles in various newspapers, and she contributed to "Lippincott's Magazine," the "Atlantic Monthly " and the "Princeton Review." Among her earlier productions was a play, "Petruchio Tamed." She won a prominent position bv her novel. "On Both Sides" (Philadelphia, 18BO, in which she contrasts the American and English characters, manners and social creeds. Her second book was "Juan and Juanita" (Boston, 1N86). Her third was "Behind the Blue Ridge" (Philadelphia, 1887). All these volumes were highly successful, passing through many editions in a short time. The first, "On Both Sides." was republished in Edinburgh. Miss Baylor deservedly ranks high as an author of remarkable powers of observation, of judgment, of humorous comment, and of philosophic generalization.

BEACH, Mrs. H. H. A., composer, born in Henniker, N. H.. 5th September, 1867. Her parents were Charles Abl>ott and Clara Imogene Cheney. Mrs. Cheney, born Marcy, was well known as an excellent musician, and it is due to her careful supervision and fostering care that Mrs. Beach's early musical development was so systematic and judicious. The earliest evidences of her musical powers were manifested before she was a year old, and as she was so situated as to hear much good music, she soon acquired the habit of catching the songs that were sung to her. When three years old, to play the piano was her chief delight, and soon she could play at sight any music that her hands could grasp. At the age of four years she played many tunes by ear. She improvised much and composed several little pieces. Among her earliest musical recollections is that of associating color with sound, the key of C suggesting white, A flat, blue, and soon. The exact pitch of sounds, single or in combination, produced by voice, violin, piano, bells, w histles or birds' songs, has always been perfectly clear to her, making it possible for her to name the notes at once. When she was six years old, her mother began a course of systematic instruction, which continued for two years. At the age of seven she played in three concerts. She continued to compose little pieces. Among these were an air with variations and a setting of the "Rainy Day" of Longfellow, since published. Regular instruction in harmony was begun at the age of fourteen. For ten years, with various interruptions, Mrs. Beach received instruction in piano playing from prominent teachers in Boston. She made her first appearance before a Boston audience as Miss Amy Marcy Cheney on 24th October, 1883, at sixteen years of age, playing the G minor concerto of Moscheles with grand orchestra. That performance was succeeded by various concerts and recitals in Boston and other places, in association with distinguished artists In December

1885, she was married to Dr. H. H. A. Beach, and since then has frequently contributed her services for the benefit of the charitable and educational institutions of Boston, in recitals and