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appeared。 His costume； like himself； left much to
be desired。 He wore a blue flannel shirt and a pair
of trousers made of flour…bags。 Such trousers were
not uncommon in our region； and the boy's mother；
who had made them for him； had thoughtfully
selected a nice clean pair of sacks。 But on one leg
was the name of the firm that made the flourA。 and
G。 W。 Greenand by a charming coincidence A。
and G。 W。 Green happened to be the two young
men who were calling on my sisters！ On the back
of the bags； directly in the rear of the wearer； was
the simple legend； ‘‘96 pounds''； and the striking
effect of the young man's costume was completed
by a bright yellow sash which held his trousers in
place。
The vision fascinated my sisters and their two
guests。 They gave it their entire attention； and
when the new…comer signified with an eloquent ges…
ture that he was calling on me； and beckoned me
into an inner room； the quartet arose as one person
and followed us to the door。 Then； as we inhospit…
ably closed the door； they fastened their eyes to
the cracks in the living…room wall； that they might
miss none of the entertainment。 When we were
alone my guest and I sat down in facing chairs and
in depressed silence。 The young man was nervous；
and I was both frightened and annoyed。 I had
heard suppressed giggles on the other side of the
wall； and I realized； as my self…centered visitor failed
to do； that we were not enjoying the privacy the
situation seemed to demand。 At last the youth in…
formed me that his ‘‘dad'' had just given him a
cabin； a yoke of steers； a cow； and some hens。 When
this announcement had produced its full effect； he
straightened up in his chair and asked； solemnly；
‘‘Will ye have me？''
An outburst of chortles from the other side of the
wall greeted the proposal； but the ardent youth
ignored it； if indeed he heard it。 With eyes staring
straight ahead； he sat rigid； waiting for my answer；
and I； anxious only to get rid of him and to end
the strain of the moment； said the first thing that
came into my head。 ‘‘I can't；'' I told him。 ‘‘I'm
sorry； butbutI'm engaged。''
He rose quickly； with the effect of a half…closed
jack…knife that is suddenly opened； and for an in…
stant stood looking down upon me。 He was six feet
two inches tall； and extremely thin。 I am very short；
and； as I looked up； his flour…bag trousers seemed to
join his yellow sash somewhere near the ceiling of
the room。 He put both hands into his pockets and
slowly delivered his valedictory。 ‘‘That's darned dis…
appointing to a fellow；'' he said； and left the house。
After a moment devoted to regaining my maidenly
composure I returned to the living…room； where I
had the privilege of observing the enjoyment of my
sisters and their visitors。 Helpless with mirth and
with tears of pleasure on their cheeks； the four rocked
and shrieked as they recalled the picture my gallant
had presented。 For some time after that incident
I felt a strong distaste for sentiment。
Clad royally in the new gown； I attended my first
ball in November； going with a party of eight that
included my two sisters； another girl； and four young
men。 The ball was at Big Rapids； which by this
time had grown to be a thriving lumber town。 It
was impossible to get a team of horses or even a
yoke of oxen for the journey； so we made a raft and
went down the river on that； taking our party dresses
with us in trunks。 Unfortunately； the raft ‘‘hung
up'' in the stream； and the four young men had
to get out into the icy water and work a long time
before they could detach it from the rocks。 Natu…
rally； they were soaked and chilled through； but they
all bore the experience with a gay philosophy。
When we reached Big Rapids we dressed for the
ball； and； as in those days it was customary to
change one's gown again at midnight； I had an op…
portunity to burst on the assemblage in two cos…
tumesthe second made of bedroom chintz； with
a low neck and short sleeves。 We danced the
‘‘money musk；'' and the ‘‘Virginia reel；'' ‘‘hoeing
her down'' （which means changing partners） in
true pioneer style。 I never missed a dance at this
or any subsequent affair； and I was considered the
gayest and the most tireless young person at our
parties until I became a Methodist minister and
dropped such worldly vanities。 The first time I
preached in my home region all my former partners
came to hear me； and listened with wide； understand…
ing； reminiscent smiles which made it very hard for
me to keep soberly to my text。
In the near future I had reason to regret the ex…
travagant expenditure of my first earnings。 For
my second year of teaching； in the same school； I
was to receive five dollars a week and to pay my
own board。 I selected a place two miles and a half
from the school…house； and was promptly asked by
my host to pay my board in advance。 This； he ex…
plained； was due to no lack of faith in me； the
money would enable him to go ‘‘outside'' to work；
leaving his family well supplied with provisions。 I
allowed him to go to the school committee and col…
lect my board in advance； at the rate of three dol…
lars a week for the season。 When I presented myself
at my new boarding…place； however； two days later；
I found the house nailed up and deserted； the man
and his family had departed with my money； and
I was left； as my committeemen sympathetically
remarked； ‘‘high and dry。'' There were only two
dollars a week coming to me after that； so I walked
back and forth between my home and my school；
almost four miles； twice a day； and during this en…
forced exercise there was ample opportunity to re…
flect on the fleeting joy of riches。
In the mean time war had been declared。 When
the news came that Fort Sumter had been fired
on； and that Lincoln had called for troops； our men
were threshing。 There was only one threshing…
machine in the region at that time； and it went
from place to place； the farmers doing their thresh…
ing whenever they could get the machine。 I re…
member seeing a man ride up on horseback； shout…
ing out Lincoln's demand for troops and explaining
that a regiment was being formed at Big Rapids。
Before he had finished speaking the men on the ma…
chine had leaped to the ground and rushed off to
enlist； my brother Jack； who had recently joined us；
among them。 In ten minutes not one man was left
in the field。 A few months later my brother Tom
enlisted as a buglerhe was a mere boy at the time
and not long after that my father followed the example
of his sons and served until the war was ended。 He
had entered on the twenty…ninth of August； 1862； as
an army steward； he came back to us with the rank
of lieutenant and assistant surgeon of field and staff。
Between those years I was the principal support
of our family； and life became a strenuous and tragic
affair。 For months at a time we had no news from
the front。 The work in our community； if it was
done at all； was done by despairing women whose
hearts were with their men。 When care had become
our constant guest； Death entered our home as well。
My sister Eleanor had married； and died in childbirth；
leaving her baby to me； and the blackest hours of
those black years were the hours that saw her pass…
ing。 I can see her still； lying in a stupor from which
she roused herself at intervals to ask about her child。
She insisted that our brother Tom should name the
baby； but Tom was fighting for his country； unless
he had already preceded Eleanor through the wide
portal that was opening before her。 I could only
tell her that I had written to him； but before the
assurance was an hour old she would climb up from
the gulf of unconsciousness with infinite effort to
ask if we had received his reply。 At last； to calm
her； I told her it had come； and that Tom had chosen
for her little son the name of Arthur。 She smiled
at this and drew a deep breath； then； still smiling；
she passed away。 Her baby slipped into her vacant
place and almost filled our heavy hearts； but only
for a short time； for within a few months after his
mother's death his father married again and took
him from me； and it seemed that with his going
we had lost all that made life worth while。
The problem of living grew harder with every…
day。 We eked out our little income in every way
we could； taking as boarders the workers in the log…
ging…camps； making quilts； which we sold； and losing
no chance to earn a penny in any legitimate manner。
Again my mother did such outside sewing as she
could secure； yet with every month of our effort
the gulf between our income and our expenses grew
wider； and the price of the bare necessities of exis…
ence｛sic｝ climbed up and up。 The largest amount I
could earn at teaching was six dollars a week； and
our school y