advancement and death, in strict obedience to laws
which have been immutably stamped upon them,
by the unerring hand of the Great Infinite. This
is the ground work of all physiological facts, and
when the different branches of it shall have been
faithfully studied in our families and schools, we
shall no longer labor under the mistaken idea that
pain, sickness and death, come to us by chance, or
that they are sent arbitrarily, by an offended God
as a punishment for our moral transgressions ; but
that they are a natural penalty, which is indissolu-
bly wedded to a violation of natural laws.



AND RECOLLECTIONS. 59

Excuse my many digressions, dear F., for I pre
fer any other subject than writing about myself.
Like the testimony of some witnesses we read of in
courts of justice, there may be much here that is
wholly irrelevant, but that is my way, and you
have promised to accept it as such.



LETTER VII.

Schools and school days Tyranny of school masters A description
of one My writing book Natural happy life of children Play
ing by the way The general current of my life The death of an
infant funeral.

MY DEAR F :

In this letter, I will make the attempt once more
to tell you of my schools, and school days, and
teachers. The latter were not all like the amiable
Miss H., especially those who ministered to our ed
ucational wants in the winter season. They were
most of them men of stern and unrelenting disposi
tions, who seemed to think that a free use of the
ferule and blue-beech, was the most essential quali
fication a teacher could possess ; and from that day
till the present, the very word " school-master" sug
gests to my mind a tall, coarse, vinegar-visaged,
masculine tyrant, holding in his hand what he
called a " ruler " from the fact of its having a

O

straight edge ; but it was in reality a ruler, in
another and broader signification of the term ; for
with it, and the piercing look of his eye, he literally



AND RECOLLECTIONS. 61

ruled, as with a rod of iron, an army of boys and
girls numbering nearly fifty, some of them as tall
and large as himself. One of these gentlemen I
have been describing, was my school-master, (they
were never called teachers,) for three successive
winters, and he still lives in the vicinity of my na
tive place. For the last few years I have frequent
ly met him in the streets of Watertown, a stranger
to him now, for I probably passed from his memory
more than twenty-five years ago ; but, on the con
trary, he will never be obliterated from mine.
Many is the time that he has fastened his giant
hand around my arm, and walked me out to the
middle of the floor, for the most trivial offence.
Once it was for the heinous crime, of not imitating
his copy in my writing-book. For this, he hauled
me over the top of my writing desk ; then to finish
up the punishment, he took my writing-book away
from me, and hid it for two weeks. At the top of a
large sheet of foolscap, he had written a row of
straight marks, as regular and perpendicular as an
army of soldiers, marching to battle. These I tried
to imitate, until the large page was half filled, then
little-girl-like, I got tired of them and commenced
making U's. This was only one, out of scores of
times, he was excited to wrath by my childish short
comings and over-acting. Yet, he was called one
of the best of teachers for those times, for you are
6



62 PERSONAL SKETCHES

aware, that in that by-gone day and age, the school
and family, who had their children under the most
constant discipline, and constraint, were considered
the best governed. What a sad mistake, that the
natural joyous -and happy freedom that characterize
the life of children, almost invariably should be re
garded by those who, in a measure hold their future
destinies in their hands, as foibles and failings, and
evidences of a depraved nature. Water will no
more surely run down hill, than children well-treat
ed will incline to do right. I know that this is a
very unpopular doctrine at present, but no less true.
We were absolutely commanded not to " play by
the way " going from, or coming to school. It was
nearly a mile from my father's to the school house,
and about a quarter of that distance off from what
was called the " creek road." Being on a slight el
evation, our residence overlooked a fine view of the
surrounding country, and nearly every house in the
district was plain in sight of ours. We knew about
when to start from home, to meet our companions at
the corner ; but if we were a little out of time, any
of us, it was no task to wait for good company.
You need not ask, dear F., whether we were strict
ly obedient to all of our teacher's commands ; tell a
rose not to waste its perfumery on the morning air,
or the lily to change its color, or the leopard his
spots, at the same time you tell children and lambs



AND RECOLLECTIONS. 63

" not to play," and the result will be the same in
every case.

The general current of life with me then ran
smoothly ; it left in my memory but one impression,
as I look back upon it now ; it seems but one golden
river of enjoyment, flowing amid green banks
strewed with perennial flowers. True, a shade of
disappointment and sorrow was occasionally thrown
in my way, but the natural buoyancy of my youth
ful spirits, soon rose above it. The death of an
infant, a beautiful little girl in the neighborhood,
was a great grief to all the scholars ; school was dis
missed and the funeral solemnized in the school-
house. The pale form of little Hetty, clothed in
white, as she lay in her tiny coffin, which was an
exact fit for her frail body, wrung the bitter tears
from many older eyes than mine. The solemn face
of the minister, I can never forget. He was an
Englishman. He took for his text. "Is it well
with thee ? is it well with thy husband ? is it well
with the child ? " And she answered, " It is well."
The child spoken of in the text, was the child of a
Shunamitish woman, whom Elisha, the prophet had
restored to life. The inquiry, therefore, had no
reference whatever to the future life. However,
that was the way he applied it, and well do I re
member the drift of his argument. It can be sum
med up in a few words ; the whole human family



64 PERSONAL SKETCHES.

are by nature totally depraved, and had not Christ
suffered and died in place of us poor reprobates,
and thereby opened a way for our salvation, all
would have been forever lost, and this as a penalty
for Adam's sin. This lovely child had passed the
dark valley in an innocent state, and would undoubt
edly be saved. This is the first sermon I remember
of hearing that I could understand the meaning of
at all, and the most of that was as dark as Hebrew
to my young mind. And what is perhaps more
singular still, I have never been able to comprehend
the whole meaning of that particular theology.



LETTER VIII.

%

A great event Marriage of my eldest sister Her present place of
residence Accident The, charms of nature New teachers for
three summers, an advanced maiden lady Four o'clock school
Her prayer "Not accowling to St. Paul's directions.

MY DEAK F :

About the time I was ten years of age, a great
event to me, happened in my father's family. It
was the marriage of my eldest sister. I had never
seen so many people together in our house before.
The pastor of the Universalist church at Watertown,
Rev. Pitt Morse, was the clergyman who officiated
at the wedding. The ceremony was awfully solemn
and impressive, more so, if possible, than at the
funeral mentioned in my last letter. The prayer
was lengthy and in words fitly chosen, and nothing
could be more appropriate and feeling than the
address to the young and happy bride. The time
seems so short to look back, that it is hard to realize
that she is now fifty-one years of age, and has chil
dren and grand-children " arising to call her bless
ed." She now resides in the far West on an Illinois
6*



66 PERSONAL SKETCHES

prairie, near the beautiful village of Aurora, enjoy
ing with her husband, a competence of this world's
goods. Her life has been one of marked vicissitude,
her fortune, her home, and religious views have all
changed.

A few days previous to the wedding, an accident
deprived me of the use of"Eiy left foot for several
weeks ; it was crushed bf^a stick of timber, to



which a swing "was attached V?To be so suddenly
bereft of liberty in this delightfijiL season of the year,
June, when the ripe berries were scattered in rich
profusion over the fields ; to one who was so fond of
a frolic and race, was a serious drawback on my
enjoyment, and the imprisonment was, if possible
more vexatious than the pain. Both together
caused me many tears ; but " it is a long road that
has no turn in it," and the weary days of my confine
ment to the house, at length drew to a close ; and
my first walk in the orchard, which was with falter
ing step, it seems to me was the happiest day of my
life. Every tree, bird, and flower, were more
beautiful than ever before, and Nature, always
charming to my imagination, had put on a new and
livelier dress. I will not attempt to tell you how
happy I was when I found the free use of my feet
again, and bounded as on the air, to the old school-

O 7 '

house once more. Even this dark cloud in my
young days, had its " silver lining," for I had plenty



AND RECOLLECTIONS. 67

of books, and, in addition to the old ones which
were read with a new relish, my little library was
occasionally replenished with a new one. Besides,
my good mother invented many ways to keep my
spirits in a happy flow. Thus it is with human life
all through ; alternate shadow and sunshine, and
this is true of every being on earth, whether steeped
in poverty, or over-burdened with wealth.

Two or three summers following the time of
which I write, a maiden lady far advanced in years,
was employed for our teacher. She was one of the
most eccentric persons that ever took the responsi
bility of teaching youth. Her education was ex
cellent for a person of her age ; she must have been
fifty years old, or over, but this was one of the
mysteries we juveniles could never draw her out on.
At any rate, her wig had not a grey hair in it, and
her false teeth were as white as alabaster. Besides
the six hours a day which she devoted, as the law
required, to the regular sohool which was compos
ed of some twenty-five very small urchins she vol
unteered her services three more hours each day
from four o'clock until seven, P. M. for the benefit
of the larger girls and boys in the district, whom
she taught arithmetic, grammar and geography.
This was called the four o'clock school ; and it prov
ed a great benefit to the scholars who were kept at
home during the day to work, but the teachers who



68 PERSONAL SKETCHES

are willing to endure the confinement and fatigue of
a second school the same day are scarce, and ought
to be felessed with an iron constitution to endure it.
Every day was a gala- day with the scholars,
especially the girls, and it was a wonder how the
old lady managed to keep as straight a rein over us
as she did. She read the Scriptures and prayed
every day in school ; which was something new for
that place, as she was the first teacher who had ever
practised it. Her prayer was always the same ; and
was soon committed to memory by the scholars, and
I copied it at the time. As it may interest you, I
here transcribe it :

" O ! God, we are frail mortals of the dust, not
worthy of Thy notice. Wilt Thou look down in
mercy upon this little handful of unworthy beings
that are assembled under Thy name, and bless them.
Bless Zion of every sect and denomination, both saint
and sinner, both hypocrite and unbeliever. Bless
the world at large, and this neighborhood in particu
lar. O ! God, forgive our sins, and put them on the
horns of the scape-goat, that he may carry them
far away into the wilderness of forgetfulness, that
they may not rise up in condemnation against us,
for we have sinned ever since we were capable of
recollection. Give us every temporal blessing, that
will be for our good and for thy glory, and enable
us to possess every Christian virtue ; and may we
succeed in our endeavors to gain an accomplished
and finished education. More especially, may we
become acquainted with thy will ; call all thy wan-



AND RECOLLECTIONS. 69

dering children together, that each one of their
names may be written in the Lamb's ' book of life,
and lastly crown our whole lives with glory, -that we
may go no more out forever, world without end.
Amen."

If all whom this kind lady's heart reached out
her desires and prayers foi*, are finally encircled in
the arms of almighty love, none will be wholly
abandoned and cast of. But her prayer was not
exactly according to St. Paul's directions, a prayer
of " faith, lifting up holy hands without wrath or
doubting," for she was a worthy member of the
close communion Baptist church, and a conscientious
believer in the endless perpetuity of sin and suffering.



LETTER IX.

Fouthful Follies A Foolish Exhibition Rebuke Fable of the lost
axe.

MY DEAR F :

Had I not promised in the outset, to give you a
faithful record of passing events, notwithstanding
my mistakes and follies, one little circumstance I am
about to relate, I should pass over, not that I imag
ine you will think the part I took in it was evidence
of a malicious or unkind disposition, but it merely
shows a total disregard of better examples, and the
good old Puritan way in which my parents desired
me to walk. I have sometimes ventured a thought,
though perhaps without reason, that the path I was
required to walk in was a little too straight and nar
row, and that " I sowed more wild oats " in conse
quence of it than I otherwise should. But to my
story.

While attending this last school I have mentioned,
two neighboring girls " over the creek," sisters, my
sister, two years my junior, and myself, got up a



AND RECOLLECTIONS. 71

plan of mischief, to surprise the old lady, our teach
er, and the other scholars, which came near being
taken a little too serious for our comfort. We each
prepared a dress, from bonnet to shoes, so odd and
fantastical that, to appear in the same now, in the
streets of Ogdensburgh some fourth of July morn
ing, would put a whole army of modern "terribles"
to flight. They would imagine that some monster
had fallen from another planet, or the ghosts of a
hundred years ago, had reappeared on the earth.
Our bonnets were cast-a-ways of our mothers and
grandmothers, long years before we had an exis
tence, and one would judge from the length of the
crowns and fronts, that, if they were constructed
since the flood, it must have been a very short time
since, and the milliners had mingled in one, both
umbrella and bonnet. To increase the size we had
them trimmed around the edge with broad strips of
heavy cloth plaited, and for trimming we made long
bows of gay colored quality, and tinselled tassels
from an old military coat. Burdock leaves and
sun-flowers made into a bouquet, adorned one side of
each. Our other regalia, I will not take time and
space to describe. Suffice it to say, that all of our
garments were the most antiquated we could find in
an old closet in the chamber, which had been the
receptacle of " old clothes " of all descriptions from
time immemorial. All that was wanted from this



72 PERSONAL SKETCHES

variety of wearing apparel was selected and put in
requisition, for the occasion. It consumed more
than a week's time, of all we could sly away out of
sight of our mothers and others who had " no part
or lot in the matter," to make preparation for the
day of our appearance in school. Our labors were
all performed in our rooms above, with closed doors,
and when every thing was ready for a march on the
day of exhibition, the numerous articles of apparel
were carefully dropped out of the chamber window,
and borne away from the house with mischievous
hands. The place had even been selected before
hand, in which to make our toilet, for we were
obliged to leave home dressed in our usual gar
ments, or the object for which we had so incessant
ly labored, would have been suddenly defeated by a
" vigilance committee," composed of parents, older
sisters and maiden aunts. The place of our retreat
was a lovely spot on the bank of the creek, beneath
the overhanging boughs of a venerable elm. The
shadow of this was completely enclosed with a
thicket of red-willow, and around these a wild
grape vine had clung its tendrils, and found its way
by them to the very top of the old tree. Here, we
were as effectually hidden as we would have been in
a cave. A few minutes time was sufficient for our
toilet to be completed, and we sallied forth across
meadows and fields to school. We laughed im-



AND RECOLLECTIONS. 73

moderately at our own ridiculous appearance, all
the way, but by previous agreement, we left our
hilarity at the door of the school-room, and entered
with lengthened visages as though nothing had hap
pened. Our forms were so disfigured that neither
teacher or schoolmates recognized us at first, but
the scene that succeeded is beyond description.
Order and quiet gave way for the most uproarious
noise and confusion, and it was with difficulty that
peace was restored, and our lessons recited. In my
last letter, I have said that the teacher's prayer was
always the same, but this evening was an exception ;
it was spiced with variations ; it was more particu
larly in behalf of " erring and sinful young ladies,
who despite the better counsels of parents and
friends would persist in travelling the broad road to
destruction." After school our cases were reported
in due form to head quarters, and the merited re
buke of our parents kept us from any more pranks
of that kind, during our term of school for that
summer. As was usual, in cases where it took sev
eral busy bodies to get up one piece of mischief, the
burden of the responsibility, and therefore of the
blame, rested on my poor head. Like the man in
the fable of the Lost Axe, the other three " little
innocents " said " you have been rather unfortu
nate."



LETTER X.

Character of the inhabitants in my native town The school dis
trict The school house Sandy Creek Scenery in its vicinity
Captain Richardson's orchard Mr. Mantle's tan-yard Sliding
and hand-sleds Peculiar charms of winter Play-grounds Our
little seminary of learning destroyed by fire Number of families
and teachers, in that time-honored district Temperance princi
ples Gambling Amusements Dancing School Exhibitions
Industrious Habits Music Change of the world in that respect.

MY DEAR F :

I fear that your patience is already quite exhaust
ed with these dull reminiscences of school days, but,
though I have got through with the details, I would
like to give you an idea of the general character of
the inhabitants in that part of the town of my na
tivity, and especially those who made up the school
district in that quiet little valley. And the school
house, and surroundings I have never told you
about, and I take it for granted, that will interest
you as much as any part of my plain narrative. It
was built of stone, on a beautiful rise of ground, as
near as could be the centre of the district, for the
accommodation of all the inhabitants ; for these



AND RECOLLECTIONS. 75

economical days it was an expensive building,
though entirely inferior to many that have been
built since in that vicinity. It was without yard or
fence in front, and no shade tree or ornamental
shrubs adorned its grounds. However, just across
the road, and down at the foot of the commanding
eminence, on which our little seminary of learning
stood, Sandy Creek flowed musically along, with its
crystal waters and pebbly bottom. On its banks,
nature had planted in rich profusion, a great variety
of trees, vines, and flowering shrubs, and what was
more attractive still, wild fruit and nuts flourished
there in abundance ; all of these attractions, togeth
er with the fish and clams, that this stream was fa
mous for, made a favorite place of resort, for both
boys and girls. On a hill in rear of the school
house, was Captain Richardson's orchard, but this
was forbidden ground. Anywhere else within rea
sonable distance, except Mr. Mantle's tan-yard, the
scholars had free range. The creek was haunted no
less in summer than winter, on account of the ice.
Hand-sleds were a stock in trade that went at
"par ; " and sliding down hill was a luxury engaged
in at a fearful cost of torn garments, and bruised
heads. Our dinners were devoured with a speed,
altogether in advance of Mr. Graham's recommend
ations in his " Science of Living," and then the
odious school bell rang quite too soon. Occasion-



76 PERSONAL SKETCHES

ally we had a teacher, who so far stooped from the
stiffness and dignity of the " craft " in general, as to
engage in our sports, of snow-balling and sliding.
Such an one was a general favorite ; nor do I be
lieve his familiarity, detracted one iota from his in
fluence and usefulness in the school-room.

Every season of the year has its peculiar charms
and winter is not the least so, to the young and
buoyant spirit of childhood. Who has not felt how
hard it is to sit roasting in the bad air of an unven-
tilated school-room, when the beautiful snow, with
its glittering diamonds of light, is carpeting the
earth, and the merry jingle of sleigh-bells as they
whirl past, break the monotonous silence ? Who
wonders that a dull book has less charm than a pair
of skates, when the streams are covered with a coat
of glazed ice tempting boys to play the truant ?

In our places of resort in the vicinity of the
creek and hill, we found a good substitute for play
grounds which every school district ought to own ;
but it is as much as the pioneer inhabitants of any
country can do to provide themselves with actual
necessaries, without thinking of luxury or ornament.
This old edifice, which had been the scene of so
many struggles in ascending the " hill of science,"
was long since destroyed by fire, and a more tasty
and modern one erected in its stead in another local
ity. Without boasting, I think it would be difficult



AND RECOLLECTIONS. 77

to find a common district school, from which gradu
ated more boys and girls, who afterwards went out
to the world as teachers, than this one. Thirteen
families made up the district. Taking out ens of these
who had but one child, the remaining twelve fami
lies averaged just seven children each, who all arriv
ed at mature years. Over forty of these were
school-teachers, ten of them from my father's family.*
There seemed to be a sort of commendable emulation
existing among the inhabitants, both old and young
a striving for knowledge of books, which would
be an assurance in after-life of the means of an
honest livelihood. Of the nearly ninety boys and
girls who received the rudiments of their education
in this time honored building, with scarcely an ex
ception they have turned their education to good
practical account andliettled honorably in life ; some
have even attained an eminence in literature. Not
one has disgraced himself with the wine-cup, for the
simple^ reason, probably, that they all had temperate,
sober parents, who labored assiduously for the good
of those entrusted to their care, with example as well
as precept. The former is far the most eloquent and

* By a reference to the New York State Gazeteer, it will be seen
that, in 1855 there were but 210 teachers in the whole of Jefferson
County, making an average of less than ten to a town. I will ven
ture, the assertion that, any time within ten years from 1835, more
than ten could have been employed from that one district alone.

7*



78 PERSONAL SKETCHES

effective teacher. Of what avail would words and
advice have been had those parents kept a rum-jug
in the closet, and daily quaffed its contents ? Suppose
they had delivered three temperance lectures a day,
and as often washed away the effects of it with the
contents of the bottle. Their words would have
fallen like the seed of the sower in the parable of
old, ',' by the wayside," upon " stony places," and
" among thorns." If such words had produced any
fruit, it would have been the fruit of bitter tears
and sighs over the wreck of ruined hopes. Steady
employment, the great rectifier of almost all human
wrongs and outrages, was always at hand. Besides
being good thrifty farmers, some had mechanical
trades, which employed many leisure hours,, but none