PREFACE THE love of the Alumnæ of Wheaton Seminary for their dear old friend has led to the preparation of this "Life of Mrs. Wheaton." In presenting it to the public, it is felt that there is need to invoke all the gentleness of the gentle reader, if we would hope that its imperfections may be forgiven. In a certain sense, it is a family affair, written by and for the “thousand daughters" of Mrs. Wheaton. It has, therefore, seemed admissible to use much material that to a reader outside the family might seem redundant, or uninteresting. Many parts of the book are not unlike a talk on family matters by members of the family. For instance, this has seemed a fitting place to pay tribute to some of the really great teachers of Wheaton Seminary, who were all Mrs. Wheaton's intimate friends. Some of the greatest of these passed on so long ago that we have no record of them. Of some of the very greatest only a few words have been allowed; for it is felt that it would be out of place to say much of those still living. But dearly as Mrs. Wheaton loved the Seminary, her deepest life centred in her own home, and, little as the schoolgirls understood it, her large, 412463 loving nature was actively occupied during the greater part of her life with interests quite outside of the Seminary. She loved the town she lived in and worked for. Still more, she loved her home and her husband, and there are few records of families in which the brothers and sisters, uncles and aunts, nephews and nieces, have been so dear to each other as in hers. Yet, almost all who were nearest and dearest to Mrs. Wheaton passed out of this life long before her, and, of the few who remain, most are too old and feeble to tell us her story. It is to her much-loved nephew and nieces, and especially to Mrs. John Jay Smith (Mary A. Chapin, of the Class of 1873), to whom Mrs. Wheaton willed her private papers, that we are indebted for most of the material that shows us how rich and beautiful was the part of her life which we, the Alumnæ, did not know. While, therefore, we are grateful to each of the many friends who have contributed to our book, our heartiest thanks are due to Mrs. Smith, who, though suffering from illness and burdened with many cares, has patiently sifted the large mass of her aunt's papers, and generously shared the treasure with us. GROVELAND, June 8, 1907. HARRIET E. PAINE, FOR THE ALUMNE COMMITtee. |