and met with general favor by the parents. The children attending the school (numbering from one hundred and fifty to two hundred) were the offspring of the Nonconformist element of the town--the people who had manfully stood out against the rites of the Church of England being foisted upon them. As boys, therefore, we represented all the dissenting religious denominations, I being, however, the only "Mormon" boy. At the beginning of the school year a book was provided, afterwards known as the Black Book, in which the names of boys were to be recorded for misbehavior or bad conduct. The year rolled by and examination time came. At the close of the mayor's address he reminded the scholars of his last year's promise; and amid the utmost stillness he announced the name of George F. Gibbs as being the only boy that had not been tardy or absent during the year, and the only boy whose name was not recorded in the Black Book. By request of the mayor I presented myself before him to receive the reward, and was the recipient of a high compliment from his lips. In competing for this reward, besides its monetary value I had another object in view, namely, to show our highly religious and high-minded townsfolk, in a small way, to be sure, that "Mormonism" produced fruits, and that its fruits, produced by boys as well as men, were good. At one of the monthly council meetings of the Priesthood of the conference, steps were taken to pair off with a view to out-of-door preaching, certain men being allowed to choose each his own companion. To the amusement of the council Elder Wm. Bowen chose me, a young, inexperienced boy. I assisted him in this labor some two years, until I left home to go to Liverpool, and was greatly benefited in my associations with him, he being a man of great faith and understanding, and a most agreeable companion. Our's was always an open house to the Elders; it was, as many now living know, a free and welcome home to all. It was what is called the "Conference house." If my dear mother possessed one trait more conspicuous than another, it was that which led her, during eighteen years of her lifetime, to receive and care for the Elders. When I was big enough it fell to my lot to relieve mother of a job which she had been doing for years before I commenced, namely, to black the shoes of the brethren. This labor became part of my day's doings, lasting some six or seven years, and I never thought it irksome.