Woman of the Century/Mary E. Cardwill

CARDWILL, Miss Mary E., was born in Louisville, Ky. While she was yet a child, her parents moved to New Albany, Ind., where she has passed her life. In her early years her health was impaired by too close application to books, and she was forced to give up school work at fifteen years of age, just when it would have been most valuable to her. She began her literary career by working in the interests of reform. Almost every advance movement of the last ten years has received MARY E. CARDWILL. substantial aid from her pen. Some years ago she became very- much interested in Shakespeare's dramas. After a course of careful training in that direction, she wrote a number of philosophical and discriminating essays upon the plays. Those articles attracted attention in high literary-circles. In June, 1886, in the first convention of the Western Association of Writers, Miss Cardwill contributed a paper on "The Successful Study of Shakespeare." In June, 1888, she was chosen corresponding secretary of that association, and in the following year she was chosen as secretary. In her official capacity, as corresponding secretary, she was associated with Mrs. L. May Wheeler as editor of the "Western Association of Writers Souvenir for 1888," and in the following year she became the sole editor of the souvenir for that year.