_Ben_ is preparing himself to go out--while we were dining about three it began to Snow briskly--After Dinner when I went over to my Room I was very much surprised to find my Room full of Smoke & Flame!--A kind Providence only prevented the total Loss of our School-House & all its Furniture, & our own Clothes Books &c!--A Coal of Fire had by accident (as the Hearth is very narrow) fall'n on the floor, it took fire, & when I entered it was burning rapidly--It had burnt three Boards about eight Inches from the Hearth, & most certainly in a short time would have been inextinguishable--I put it out however speedily, & had all the fire removed-- The Weather is as wintry here in every Respect as I have ever known it in New-Jersey--Mr Carter has a Cart & three pair of Oxen which every Day bring in four Loads of Wood, Sundays excepted, & yet these very severe Days we have none to spare; And indeed I do not wonder, for in the _Great House_, _School_ House, Kitchen, &c. there are twenty Eight steady fires! & most of these are very Large!--After Supper, when all had retired but Mrs Carter, Mr Carter & Myself, the Conversation being on serious Matters, Mr Carter observed that he much dislikes the common method of making Burying Yards round Churches, & having them almost open to every Beast--He would have them at some small distance from the Church, neatly & strongly inclosed, and the Graves kept up decent, & plain, but would have no splendid, nor magnificent Monument, nor even Stone to say "Hic jacet."--He told us he proposes to make his own Coffin & use it for a Chest til its proper use shall be required--That no Stone, nor Inscription to be put over him--And that he would choose to be laid under a shady Tree where he might be undisturbed, & sleep in peace & obscurity--He told us, that with his own hands he planted, & is with great diligence raising a _Catalpa_-Tree at the Head of his Father who lies in his Garden--Mrs Carter beg'd that She might have a Stone, with this only for a Monument, "Here lies _Ann Tasker Carter_."[120] with these things for my consideration I left them about ten and went to my cold Room, & was hurried soon to Bed; Not however without reflecting on the importance of our preparation for this great Change! [120] Frances Ann Tasker Carter died in 1787 and was buried in the family graveyard at "Nomini Hall." Her husband, who died seventeen years later, was buried in Baltimore. _Sunday 30._