work was put by, the evening duties finished, and the frugal meal of "hasty pudding and milk" partaken of, then the little sisters had their bath, said their prayers, and were snugly tucked away for the night. In warm weather the boys were allowed to go to the near-by swimming pool to make themselves sweet and pure for God's holy day. When in health the whole family. were regularly seen in their places in the house of worship. Rev. Hiram Burdick writes: "When young, we attended the same church, and in warm weather we boys appeared barefooted, clad in tow or cotton cloth shirt and pants, with straw hats. Coats and shoes in summer were a long after consideration. During the cold season homemade suits of woolen cloth, with cowhide shoes, were worn by both boys and girls."

Another writes, afterward Dr. Orlenzo Allen's wife: "My first memory of the family was seeing them on their way to church as they passed our house. Father Allen was a very handsome man, tall and noble looking. He drove a span of fine gray horses, always with a full load. The two pair of twins, each pair dressed exactly alike and sitting together, made a very vivid impression upon my memory."

The habit of attendance upon public worship, and all the early influences of religious culture, proved a strong safeguard to the virtue of this community. As soon as homes were provided, a church was built, the members giving work, lumber, nails, shingles, and anything needed that they could provide. Missionaries were sent out, receiving one-half bushel of wheat per day for their labors. The minister was to receive what was in the heart of each to give.

SOCIAL LIFE OF PIONEERS.

The social life of a pioneer people usually will take the form of meetings for mutual assistance-bees, loggings, raisings, sheep-shearings, huskings, apple-cuts, quiltings, or spinning bees. Men, women, and children attended and lent a hand wherever needed. The evenings thus spent often made bright and restful the hard day's work. All their interests were freely

discussed-school, church, politics, or any news from the outside

world.

Young Allen, strong and large for his age, was a very essential factor in these gatherings, from which he treasured every new thought. This habit of attention, and of selecting from all sources the best that was given, made him the thorough and versatile scholar that he became in after years. President Allen often said that his memory by nature was no better than that of most boys, but he worked over each new thought till it was his own, never to be forgotten. During his whole life the early morning hours were to him the best of the day, and from his home on that lovely hillside he could see the first blush of the sun rising over the opposite mountain, covered with pines. No Parsee ever worshiped with more zeal than did this boy this divine and daily miracle. The deepest grief of his boyhood came when it was necessary for the family to give up the home and move a mile away, into a deep, narrow valley, where the forestcovered hills hid the morning sun from view. He was now thirteen years of age, thirsting for knowledge, but with such limited opportunities for study that the future outlook was dark, and began to have its depressing influence upon his strong, buoyant nature.

CHAPTER III.

SELECT SCHOOL ESTABLISHED.

N the fall of 1836, while chopping with his father and

I

brothers near the home, a gentleman came to the woods.

After a pleasant "good-morning" he said, "I have come into town to start a select school, and would like to have you send this boy," designating Jonathan. "I can't afford it,” said the father. Bethuel Church, for this was the man, thought a moment: "We shall need wood, and I will take that for the tuition." How the boy's heart bounded when the father said, "If he will chop it, he can go." As four-foot wood was only fifty cents a cord, it would take six cords to pay the $3.00 tuition. If it had taken sixty it would not have daunted the boy. There was light and life ahead. But as father and mother talked over before him the pros and cons in the evening, it was made evident that he had nothing suitable to wear, and new clothing was out of the question, so father said, “Jonathan, I believe you must give it up." Argument was not thought of in that New England household, but the tears would come in spite of all the manly will to repress them. His father seeing this, and remembering his promise, said, "If he feels like that, he must go." His roundabout was made as presentable as possible, and he went, carrying a chair for his seat, as each of the others did. He has often said that with the memory of that experience he could never refuse taking wood as tuition from students. The encouragement thus given might be the turning point in some other life.

Two miles over a high, bleak hill, thinly clad, and through snowdrifts often covering the fences, might not seem a pleasant prospect to the schoolboy now, but to him it was a daily joy,

and, though he dared not, from fear of ridicule, eat the cold johnnycake that was his dinner, till on his return home at night, he was not hungry. There were no desks, so each pupil had to hold his books and slate as best he could till boards could be

fitted up for that purpose. There were thirty-seven pupils, all gathered from Alfred and vicinity, save two from Genesee and one from Rhode Island. Allen was the youngest in the school, and the least advanced, so he was obliged to recite alone in arithmetic, but each lesson was perfect. After a week Mr. Church, looking over the pupils at their work, saw young Allen at work even beyond the others. "You there?" 'Yes, sir." "Then go into the first class," and before the term was out he

was one of the best in the most advanced class. In this select school blackboards and other new methods were first introduced.

FIRST DECLAMATION.

Of his first experience in elocution or declamation it is written: "Then came compositions. Our young student often found himself, as Virgil says, 'a goose among swans,' for he could hardly write his own name, much less a composition. As a compromise he was allowed to give a recitation. Yet without any previous acquaintance with anything like elocution, he had no idea how to proceed. When called upon for his piece he commenced to speak from the place where he was sitting. 'Come out on the floor,' said the teacher. Utterly bewildered, he grabbed a fellow pupil by the collar for support. 'Let go!' cried the pupil. He did let go, but saw or heard nothing till his selected paragraph-a fine passage from a standard author on Alfred the Great-had been elocuted' almost at one breath." From this experience dates his first determination to make a speaker of himself. In his boyish way he put into this new ambition the same ideas of perfection that characterized everything he did. He committed to memory many passages from his favorite authors, and began writing out his own ideas on various subjects, and then practiced speaking them. He not only carefully noted the subjects of sermons and lectures that

he heard, but studied attentively the manner of their expression and delivery. Elder Walter Gillett was his ideal as a speaker.

Mr. Church was the right man for such an enterprise, initiative, positive, enthusiastic, and having great faith in himself and his pupils. He preached at the church, as well as taught the school, during the winter, and his constant theme was education. His private talks to both old and young were of the needs in this community for a high school or academy. Charles Hartshorn, a brother of Mrs. Sheldon, in whose house the school was held, was just from the East and taught the district school a mile away. These two men most earnestly sympathized in all intellectual work. A debating society was formed, having its meetings in the schoolhouse evenings, where old and young from all the country round were invited to discuss questions of public interest, especially those pertaining to education. So far-reaching was this influence that the next winter each district. for many miles around had its debating society.

At the close of the term there was an earnest religious awakening, in which many found the Prince of Peace. Jonathan Allen was one of that number, and with the inspiration of that teacher, and that winter's work, he came into line with progressive thought, never going back, but always pressing forward with a strong, high purpose, seldom found in a boy of only fourteen.

MAKING MAPLE SUGAR.

The following spring he went into the sugar camp, always glad when an uncommon flow of sap made it necessary to boil all night, as he would then have a quiet time to read or study by the firelight. Large maple trees made a heavy percentage of the forest, and were a source of comfort and profit to the farmers. As soon as a few warm days came in March, the woods were penetrated through the snow by the ox-sleds loaded with sap-buckets. The trees were tapped, a clearing made for the fire, and a rude stone furnace built. On this rested the large iron kettle in which the sap was boiled. A hut was built as near the fire as possible, where a few bundles of straw made seats by day and often a bed at night.