For some time letters came regularly from him, and he was happy and
prosperous. Then they ceased, and after two years of agonizing suspense,
we heard that he had died of yellow fever in New Orleans. To us, this
was dreadful, irreparable, and was wholly due to that iron-bedstead
piety which permits no natural growth, but sets down all human loves and
longings as of Satanic origin.

Soon after our removal to the village, grandfather's estate was
advertised for sheriff's sale. Mother had the proceedings stayed, the
executors dismissed, and took out letters of administration, which made
it necessary for her to spend some portion of every month in the city.
This threw the entire charge of house and store on me. As soon,
therefore, as possible, she sent me to the city to school, where I
realized my aspiration of studying ancient history and the piano, and
devoured the contents of the text-book of natural philosophy with an
avidity I had never known for a novel.

In April, 1830, I began to teach school, the only one in Wilkinsburg,
and had plenty of pupils, young men and women, boys and girls, at two
dollars and one dollar and a half a term. Taught seven hours a day, and
Saturday forenoon, which was devoted to Bible reading and catechism. I
was the first, I believe, in Allegheny Co., to teach children without
beating them. I abolished corporeal punishment entirely, and was so
successful that boys, ungovernable at home, were altogether tractable.
This life was perfectly congenial, and I followed it for nearly six
years. Mother started a Sabbath School, the only one in the village, and
this, too, we continued for years.

One of the pupils was a girl of thirteen, daughter of a well-to-do
farmer, who lived within a mile of the village. Her father had been