New York State S. S. convention is convened here and the
meetings are most interesting. They were held in our church and lasted
three days. A Mr. Hart, from New York, led the singing and Mr. Ralph
Wells was Moderator. Mr. Noah T. Clarke was in his element all through
the meetings. Mr. Pardee gave some fine blackboard exercises. During the
last afternoon Mr. Tousley was wheeled into the church, in his invalid
chair, and said a few words, which thrilled every one. So much
tenderness, mingled with his old time enthusiasm and love for the cause.
It is the last time probably that his voice will ever be heard in
public. They closed the grand meeting with the hymn beginning:

"Blest be the tie that binds
Our hearts in Christian love."

In returning thanks to the people of Canandaigua for their generous
entertainment, Mr. Ralph Wells facetiously said that the cost of the
convention must mean something to Canandaigua people, for the cook in
one home was heard to say, "These religiouses do eat awful!"

_September_ 13.--Darius Sackett was wounded by a musket shot in the leg,
at Maryland Heights, Va., and in consequence is discharged from the
service.

_September._--Edgar A. Griswold of Naples is recruiting a company here
for the 148th Regiment, of which he is captain. Hiram P. Brown, Henry S.
Murray and Charles H. Paddock are officers in the company. Dr. Elnathan
W. Simmons is surgeon.

_September_ 22.--I read aloud to Grandfather this evening the
Emancipation Proclamation issued as a war measure by President Lincoln,
to take effect January 1, liberating over three million slaves. He
recommends to all thus set free, to labor faithfully for reasonable
wages and to abstain from all violence, unless in necessary
self-defense, and he invokes upon this act "the considerate judgment of
mankind and the gracious favor of Almighty God."

_November_ 21.--This is my twentieth birthday. Anna wanted to write a
poem for the occasion and this morning she handed me what she called "An
effort." She said she wrestled with it all night long and could not
sleep and this was the result:

"One hundred years from now, Carrie dear,
In all probability you'll not be here;
But we'll all be in the same boat, too,
And there'll be no one left
To say boo hoo!"

Grandfather gave me for a present a set of books called "Irving's
Catechisms on Ancient Greeks and Romans." They are four little books
bound in leather, which were