he mills go up; and, when the
machinery was set in motion, looked on with interest, as he had a
splendid opportunity of observing new principles of mechanism. He made
many visits to the mills, and became acquainted with their
proprietors; and, till the day of his death, he found in the Ellicotts
kind and helpful friends.

After a short time the Ellicotts erected a store, where, a little
later, a post-office, was opened. To this point the farmers and
gentlemen, for miles around, used to congregate. Banneker often called
at the post-office, where, after overcoming his natural modesty and
diffidence, he was frequently called out in conversations covering a
variety of topics. His conversational powers, his inexhaustible fund
of information, and his broad learning (for those times and
considering his circumstances), made him the connoisseur of that
section. At times he related, in modest terms, the difficulties he was
constrained to encounter in order to acquire the knowledge of books he
had, and the unsatisfied longings he still had for further knowledge.
His fame as a mathematician was already established, and with the
increasing facilities of communication his accomplishments and
achievements were occupying the thought of many intelligent people.

"By this time he had become very expert in the solution of
difficult mathematical problems, which were then, more than
in this century, the amusement of persons of leisure, and
they were frequently sent to him from scholars residing in
different parts of our country who wished to test his
capacity. He is reported to have been successful in every
case, and, sometimes, he returned with his answers,
questions of his own composition conveyed in rhyme."

The following question was propounded to Mr. George Ellicott, and was
solved by Benjamin Hallowell of Alexandria.

"A Cooper and Vintner sat down for a talk,
Both being so groggy, that neither could walk,
Says Cooper to Vintner, 'I'm the first of my trade,
There's no kind of vessel, but what I have made,
And of any shape, Sir,--just what you will,--
And of any size, Sir,--from a ton to a gill!'
'Then,' says the Vintner, 'you're the man for me,--
Make me a vessel, if we can agree.
The top and the bottom diameter define,
To bear that proportion as fifteen to nine;
Thirty-five inches are just what I crave,
No more and no less, in the depth, w