was not an extravagant
one.

I now come to that locality over which my own observation extended,
and concerning which--"_Haud ignota loquor_"--I can speak with a good
degree of accuracy. The southern half of the village of Ercildoun came
next in the track of the storm-cloud. As this is the only village over
which the tornado traveled, a brief description would not be
inappropriate.

This village contains about twenty dwellings. Twenty-five years ago it
had considerable reputation as a manufacturing locality--large
quantities of agricultural implements being made every year, and in
addition a foundry was kept in full operation. It had at that time a
daily mail, a valuable library, and many other attractions not then
found in many villages of like size. Two Friends' Meeting Houses are
located here, one in the centre and the other at the western extremity
of the place. In the days when the anti-slavery agitation was
beginning to rouse the people to a sense of the great evil of our
country, and when it required something akin to heroism to feed and
protect the fugitive slave on his road to the north, this little
settlement of Friends did its whole duty in the cause of humanity, and
was pretty widely known as a safe place for those fleeing from
bondage. A public hall was erected in 1847, and dedicated to free
discussion. The motto, "Let Truth and Error Grapple," was emblazoned
on its front in bold letters, and the lecturers and leading reformers
of the day often held discussions there which would have been a credit
to towns and villages of much greater pretensions. In 1851 "Ercildoun
Seminary for Young Men and Boys," was established, with Smedley
Darlington as Principal. It was a four-story structure, of good
dimensions, and could accommodate about fifty pupils. As such, it was
conducted for about three years, when the proprietor changed it to a
boarding school for girls, and continued it thus for seven years, when
it passed into the hands of its present proprietor, and afterwards was
known as "Ercildoun Seminary for Young Ladies," and was kept in full
operation to the present time. This Institution was remodeled in 1870,
and additional wings were added to it. Nearly two thousand pupils have
received instruction here, and its patronage extended over a wide
extent of country, including all the adjoining States, and many
others. Almost unvarying success attended the school in its efforts to
promote the cause of education. W