laborers, his daughter was much occupied with household duties, such as providing for the men, attending to the dairy, spinning, &c. From the memoranda that we have of the domestic arrangements, it would appear that Benjamin passed much of his time in his arm-chair, with his little granddaughter near him. Which was the entertainer, and which the entertained, we need not inquire, for we may suppose that the care was reciprocal and the enjoyment mutual. He taught her to knit, to spin, and most probably to read, as there is no mention made of her having attended any school until after his death; but we are informed that she had read aloud to him the whole of the Bible, and of George Fox's Journal. While these two books had been read in their entirety, portions of others had also received attention; but there is no account of anything light or frivolousonly the Holy Scriptures and the writings of Friends being chosen.

But the time was approaching when this close companionship must cease; when the affectionate grandparent and his devoted little attendant must be separated, he going to his long home, and she mourning on her way for the loss of one whom she had revered, trusted and loved.

Benjamin Shoemaker died on the 16th of Third Month, 1811, aged eighty-four years. eighty-four years. His death lacked but one day of being eighteen years after that of his wife. Of their fourteen children twelve had lived to adult age,

but only three survived their father. These three were Nathan, Comly, and Jane.

On the day following his death, the remains of Benjamin Shoemaker were interred in the Cheltenham Friends' Burial Ground, near which he had lived and died.

Of the Hallowell, Williams, and Comly ancestors, we are not so fully informed, but it appears that they, also, were Friends, and that Mary Williams (grandmother of M. S. L.) was a descendant of George Shoemaker, Jr., though not of his first wife Sarah, but of his second, who was named Katharine.

About two years before the decease of her father, Jane Hallowell had passed through a sore affliction in the death of her son Joseph. Though only about twelve years of age, he assisted in the store of his uncle, with whom he lived. One evening, while he was weighing some gunpowder for a customer, two boys who were in the store were playing, and when one threw something at the other, a spark, either from a candle or from a cigar, fell into the powder and caused a terrific explosion, after which Joseph was found in the cellar, the floor under him having given away. When found he was unconscious, but soon after became sensible, and told the family how the accident had occurred. He lived until next morning in great agony, but fully aware of his situation, and made some remarks suitable for one of his age, and his innocent life. His mother was expecting him home on his first visit, and when the sad

tidings of his death came, her inward grief was no doubt very great. Her son Benjamin, in his "Autobiography," says, "All the reference mother ever made to it afterwards, was to say, 'Poor Joseph,' and weep."

Soon after the death of Benjamin Shoemaker, his estate was settled by selling the homestead, and thus the family had to be broken up. It now consisted of Jane Hallowell and her two children, Benjamin and Mary; the eldest son, James, having previously gone into the store and the family of his uncle William Hallowell, in Philadelphia. Jane and her daughter went to her uncle, Samuel Shoemaker's, near Hatboro, Montgomery County, Penna. Both mother and daughter found it to be a pleasant home, and as it was near the Lollar Academy, Mary was entered as a pupil in that institution. It was under Presbyterian management, and was in high repute for being a good school.

Benjamin went to live with his uncle, Comly Shoemaker and wife, on their farm, called Pleasant Valley, adjacent to the old homestead.

Subsequently, Jane Hallowell and her daughter went to live with their relative George Williams, whose home being near Abington Meeting House, was probably a resort for traveling Friends. While there, most likely, Mary was a pupil in the Abington Friends' School.

In 1819, after she had entered her nineteenth year, she went to Westtown Boarding School, in Chester County, Pennsylvania, and continued there as a pupil about one year.

In Ninth Month, 1820, came another family affliction. Her brother James died, after a brief but very distressing illness, leaving a widow and one child. In a few days after the funeral, Mary went with her only surviving brother, Benjamin, to Friends' Boarding School at Fair Hill, near Sandy Spring, Maryland; Benjamin resuming his duties as teacher in that Institution, and Mary entering it as a pupil.

In the early part of the year 1823 we find her teaching a family school in Cheltenham, near the place of her birth. While thus occupied, she was visited by members of the Westtown Committee, and invited to take the position made vacant by the absence of Sybella Embree, who had gone to Europe in consequence of her failing health. Ann Mifflin, who was temporarily taking the place of Sybella, was desirous of being relieved of her duties at the earliest date practicable; and as she was one of the Yearly Meeting's Committee having charge of the School, she and another member of the Committee went to Cheltenham, and made the proposition to Mary. It was favorably received. The appointment was accepted, and in less than a week from that time Mary was regularly installed, and was performing the duties of her new position. She began on the 8th of Second Month, 1823.

It was during her sojourn at Westtown that she became acquainted with John Mott, who subsequently established a boarding school for girls, at Rensselaerville,

New York, and secured the services of Mary S. Hallowell as teacher.

In less than a year from the date of her entering upon her duties as teacher at Westtown, we find the first record in her Diary, from which it will appear that she was laboring under deep religious exercise. The baptisms through which she passed to prepare her for the work of the ministry, were mortifying to the flesh, as well as purifying to the spirit; and during all this trying period she was obliged to respond to the daily call of routine duties in the school, and to associate with the members of that large family during the intervals intended for social mingling. Then, as now, there were those who failed to comprehend why a young person should be so serious as to appear gloomy; so they urged her to be cheerful. No doubt their motive was good, but the advice alone was evidence that they were strangers to the experience through which she was passing. But with all the care that she found necessary to exercise in the social circle (for she was naturally of a lively disposition, and prone to freedom of speech), her surroundings, taking all the conditions into account, were probably about the most favorable that she could have had for her advancement in spiritual things, and as a preparation for her life-work in the training of young

women.

The meetings for worship were often favored seasons, being attended by solid Friends who were members of the Committee, and also by Gospel messengers from