ng, she was as free and
joyous as the birds that carol in their native air. When her sprightly
and impulsive nature inclined her to go beyond the bounds of propriety,
she was checked. Readily indulged in every reasonable desire, and
knowing that nothing worldly afforded her parents so much happiness as
that of her own, she did not long mourn over occasional disappointments
in personal gratification, which, if indulged in, might have reasonably
reflected discredit, if not on her, at least on the religious position
of her parents. She had to be reminded, now and then, that she was the
child of an Elder of the Church; but never did she intentionally do
violence to the feelings or views of him she so much reverenced and
loved.

This reminds me of a circumstance, that I will relate: One
evening, when your mother was dressing for a party, which was to be
given at the house of a friend, a very serious accident occurred a few
squares from us. A May-day celebration of school-girls, with their
teachers, parents and friends, were suddenly startled with the sound
and movement of a falling house, and, in a moment, from the giving way
of the floor, they were precipitated from the second story of the house
down to the first, and, after a moment's pause, into the cellar. The
alarm was soon noised abroad, and, in a very short time, the building
was surrounded by persons--some, who had relatives there, in agony to
know the worst concerning them, some from curiosity, and others to
render assistance to the sufferers. Your grandfather rushed to the
spot, and remained there as long as there was anything for him to do,
in encouraging the sufferers, and in assisting them to their homes.

No one was killed--though I think one person died from the
injuries received there, a few days after the event; but many were
dreadfully bruised, and some had limbs broken. After learning who
constituted the assembly, who was hurt, and how much, and finding that,
although we knew two or three of the injured persons, and entertained a
high respect for them, they were not among our particular friends, nor
even in our visiting circle--daughter and I concluded that there could
be no impropriety in her attending the party: the time of starting
having been delayed for awhile, until we were fully assured of all the
facts, and had recovered from the shock felt upon the first alarm.

In less than half an hour after she had gone, her father returned
from the