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s considered one of the most important of womanly attainments。 People who lived side by side exchanged such services without waiting to be asked； and they seemed to be happiest of whom such kindnesses were most expected。
Every kind of work brings its own compensations and attractions。 I really began to like plain sewing； I enjoyed sitting down for a whole afternoon of it； fingers flying and thoughts flying faster still；the motion of the hands seeming to set the mind astir。 Such afternoons used to bring me throngs of poetic suggestions； particularly if I sat by an open window and could hear the wind blowing and a bird or two singing。 Nature is often very generous in opening her heart to those who must keep their hands employed。 Perhaps it is because she is always quietly at work herself； and so sympathizes with her busy human friends。 And possibly there is no needful occupation which is wholly unbeautiful。 The beauty of work depends upon the way we meet itwhether we arm ourselves each morning to attack it as an enemy that must be vanquished before night comes； or whether we open our eyes with the sunrise to welcome it as an approaching friend who will keep us delightful company all day； and who will make us feel； at evening； that the day was well worth its fatigues。
I found my practical experience of housekeeping and baby…tending very useful to me afterwards at the West； in my sister Emilie's family； when she was disabled by illness。 I think； indeed； that every item of real knowledge I ever acquired has come into use somewhere or somehow in the course of the years。 But these were not the things I had most wished to do。 The whole world of thought lay unexplored before me；a world of which I had already caught large and tempting glimpses； and I did not like to feel the horizon shutting me in； even to so pleasant a corner as this。 And the worst of it was that I was getting too easy and content… ed； too indifferent to the higher realities which my work and my thoughtful companions had kept keenly clear before me。 I felt my… self slipping into an inward apathy from which it was hard to rouse myself。 I could not let it go on so。 I must be where my life could expand。
It was hard to leave the dear little fellow I had taught to walk and to talk； but I knew he would not be inconsolable。 So I only said 〃I must go；〃and turned my back upon the sea； and my face to the banks of the Merrimack。
When I returned I found that I enjoyed even the familiar； unremitting clatter of the mill； because it indicated that something was going on。 I liked to feel the people around me； even those whom I did not know； as a wave may like to feel the surrounding waves urging it forward； with or against its own will。 I felt that I belonged to the world； that there was something for me to do in it； though I had not yet found out what。 Something to do； it might be very little； but still it would be my own work。 And then there was the better something which I had almost forgottento be！ Underneath my dull thoughts the old aspirations were smouldering； the old ideals rose and beckoned to me through the rekindling light。
It was always aspiration rather than ambition by which I felt myself stirred。 I did not care to outstrip others； and become what is called 〃distinguished；〃 were that a possibility； so much as I longed to answer the Voice that invited； ever receding； up to invisible heights； however unattainable they might seem。 I was conscious of a desire that others should feel something coming to them out of my life like the breath of flowers； the whisper of the winds； the warmth of the sunshine； and the depth of the sky。 That； I felt； did not require great gifts or a fine education。 We might all be that to each other。 And there was no opportunity for vanity or pride in receiving a beautiful influence； and giving it out again。
I do not suppose that I definitely thought all this； though I find that the verses I wrote for our two mill magazines at about this time often expressed these and similar longings。 They were vague； and they were too likely to dissipate themselves in mere dreams。 But our aspirations come to us from a source far beyond ourselves。 Happy are they who are 〃not disobedient unto the heavenly vision〃！
A girl of sixteen sees the world before her through rose…tinted mists； a blending of celestial colors and earthly exhalations； and she cannot separate their elements； if she would； they all belong to the landscape of her youth。 It is the mystery of the meeting horizons；the visible beauty seeking to lose and find itself in the Invisible。
In returning to my daily toil among workmates from the hill… country； the scenery to which they belonged became also a part of my life。 They brought the mountains with them； a new background and a new hope。 We shared an uneven path and homely occupations； but above us hung glorious summits never wholly out of sight。 Every blossom and every dewdrop at our feet was touched with some tint of that far…off splendor； and every pebble by the wayside was a messenger from the peak that our feet would stand upon by and by。
The true climber knows the delight of trusting his path； of following it without seeing a step before him； or a glimpse of blue sky above him； sometimes only knowing that it is the right path because it is the only one； and because it leads upward。 This our daily duty was to us。 Though we did not always know it； the faithful plodder was sure to win the heights。 Unconsciously we learned the lesson that only by humble Doing can any of us win the lofty possibilities of Being。 For indeed； what we all want to find is not so much our place as our path。 The path leads to the place； and the place； when we have found it； is only a clearing by the roadside； an opening into another path。
And no comrades are so dear as those who have broken with us a pioneer road which it will be safe and good for others to follow； which will furnish a plain clue for all bewildered travelers hereafter。 There is no more exhilarating human experience than this； and perhaps it is the highest angelic one。 It may be that some such mutual work is to link us forever with one another in the Infinite Life。
The girls who toiled together at Lowell were clearing away a few weeds from the overgrown track of independent labor for other women。 They practically said； by numbering themselves among factory girls； that in our country no real odium could be attached to any honest toil that any self…respecting woman might undertake。
I regard it as one of the privileges of my youth that I was permitted to grow up among those active； interesting girls； whose lives were not mere echoes of other lives； but had principle and purpose distinctly their own。 Their vigor of character was a natural development。 The New Hampshire girls who came to Lowell were descendants of the sturdy backwoodsmen who settled that State scarcely a hundred years before。 Their grandmothers had suffered the hardships of frontier life； had known the horrors of savage warfare when the beautiful valleys of the Connecticut and the Merrimack were threaded with Indian trails from Canada to the white settlements。 Those young women did justice to their inheritance。 They we