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indeed； we had no home to which we could return。
We were even too poor to live ashore。 But we made
some penny excursions in the little boats that plied
back and forth； and to us children at least the weeks
of waiting were not without interest。 Among other
places we visited Spike Island； where the convicts
were； and for hours we watched the dreary shuttle
of labor swing back and forth as the convicts car…
ried pails of water from one side of the island； only
to empty them into the sea at the other side。 It
was merely ‘‘busy work；'' to keep them occupied
at hard labor； but even then I must have felt some
dim sense of the irony of it； for I have remembered
it vividly all these years。
Our second voyage on the John Jacob Westervelt
was a very different experience from the first。 By
day a glorious sun shone overhead； by night we had
the moon and stars； as well as the racing waves we
never wearied of watching。 For some reason； prob…
ably because of my intense admiration for them；
which I showed with unmaidenly frankness； I be…
came the special pet of the sailors。 They taught me
to sing their songs as they hauled on their ropes；
and I recall； as if I had learned it yesterday； one
pleasing ditty：
Haul on the bow…line；
Kitty is my darling；
Haul on the bow…line；
The bow…lineHAUL！
When I sang ‘‘haul'' all the sailors pulled their
hardest； and I had an exhilarating sense of sharing
in their labors。 As a return for my service of song
the men kept my little apron full of ship sugar
very black stuff and probably very bad for me； but
I ate an astonishing amount of it during that voy…
age； and； so far as I remember； felt no ill effects。
The next thing I recall is being seriously scalded。
I was at the foot of a ladder up which a sailor was
carrying a great pot of hot coffee。 He slipped； and
the boiling liquid poured down on me。 I must
have had some bad days after that； for I was ter…
ribly burned； but they are mercifully vague。 My
next vivid impression is of seeing land； which we
sighted at sunset； and I remember very distinctly
just how it looked。 It has never looked the same
since。 The western sky was a mass of crimson and
gold clouds； which took on the shapes of strange and
beautiful things。 To me it seemed that we were
entering heaven。 I remember also the doctors com…
ing on board to examine us； and I can still see a line
of big Irishmen standing very straight and holding
out their tongues for inspection。 To a little girl
only four years old their huge； open mouths looked
appalling。
On landing a grievous disappointment awaited
us； my father did not meet us。 He was in New
Bedford； Massachusetts； nursing his grief and pre…
paring to return to England； for he had been told
that the John Jacob Westervelt had been lost at sea
with every soul on board。 One of the missionaries
who met the ship took us under his wing and con…
ducted us to a little hotel； where we remained
until father had received his incredible news and
rushed to New York。 He could hardly believe that
we were really restored to him； and even now；
through the mists of more than half a century； I can
still see the expression in his wet eyes as he picked
me up and tossed me into the air。
I can see； too； the toys he brought mea little
saw and a hatchet； which became the dearest treas…
ures of my childish days。 They were fatidical
gifts； that saw and hatchet； in the years ahead of
me I was to use tools as well as my brothers did；
as I proved when I helped to build our frontier
home。
We went to New Bedford with father； who had
found work there at his old trade； and here I laid
the foundations of my first childhood friendship；
not with another child； but with my next…door
neighbor； a ship…builder。 Morning after morning
this man swung me on his big shoulder and took me
to his shipyard； where my hatchet and saw had vio…
lent exercise as I imitated the workers around me。
Discovering that my tiny petticoats were in my way；
my new friend had a little boy's suit made for me；
and thus emancipated； at this tender age； I worked
unwearyingly at his side all day long and day after
day。 No doubt it was due to him that I did not
casually saw off a few of my toes and fingers。 Cer…
tainly I smashed them often enough with blows of
my dull but active hatchet。 I was very； very busy；
and I have always maintained that I began to earn
my share of the family's living at the age of five
for in return for the delights of my society； which
seemed never to pall upon him； my new friend al…
lowed my brothers to carry home from the ship…
yard all the wood my mother could use。
We remained in New Bedford less than a year；
for in the spring of 1852 my father made another
change； taking his family to Lawrence； Massa…
chusetts； where we lived until 1859。 The years in
Lawrence were interesting and formative ones。 At
the tender age of nine and ten I became interested
in the Abolition movement。 We were Unitarians；
and General Oliver and many of the prominent citi…
zens of Lawrence belonged to the Unitarian Church。
We knew Robert Shaw； who led the first negro regi…
ment； and Judge Storrow； one of the leading New
England judges of his time； as well as the Cabots
and George A。 Walton； who was the author of
Walton's Arithmetic and head of the Lawrence
schools。 Outbursts of war talk thrilled me； and
occasionally I had a little adventure of my own； as
when one day； in visiting our cellar； I heard a noise
in the coal…bin。 I investigated and discovered a
negro woman concealed there。 I had been reading
Uncle Tom's Cabin； as well as listening to the
conversation of my elders； so I was vastly stirred
over the negro question。 I raced up…stairs in a
condition of awe…struck and quivering excitement；
which my mother promptly suppressed by sending
me to bed。 No doubt she questioned my youthful
discretion； for she almost convinced me that I had
seen nothing at allalmost； but not quite； and she
wisely kept me close to her for several days； until
the escaped slave my father was hiding was safely
out of the house and away。 Discovery of this seri…
ous offense might have borne grave results for him。
It was in Lawrence； too； that I received and spent
my first twenty…five cents。 I used an entire day in
doing this； and the occasion was one of the most
delightful and memorable of my life。 It was the
Fourth of July； and I was dressed in white and rode
in a procession。 My sister Mary； who also graced
the procession； had also been given twenty…five
cents； and during the parade； when； for obvious
reasons； we were unable to break ranks and spend
our wealth； the consciousness of it lay heavily upon
us。 When we finally began our shopping the first
place we visited was a candy store； and I recall dis…
tinctly that we forced the weary proprietor to take
do