Page:Frances Wood Shimer 1826-1901.djvu/11

 of her age. She thought and planned about her future far beyond her years. Soon after her mother's death, her sister, who had so faithfully been nurse, mother, and housekeeper, married Mr. Nash, a prosperous young farmer, who had waited several years for his bride. The home was changed, a housekeeper installed, and Frances now entered Stillwater Academy. The approval of her teachers was a source of pleasure, and she bent all her energies toward gaining highest scholarship. As a student, she was thorough, enthusiastic, and especially fond of the sciences. Her instinctive desire for information was so strong, that the mere consciousness of something unknown was sufficient incentive to arouse ambition to acquire. She could not overcome homesickness, and when twelve years old prevailed on her father to allow her to keep house for him. He was delighted with all her efforts, and not sparing of his praise. She made butter, cheese, raised chickens, turkeys, ducks, and geese in large numbers, managed the garden and fruit, and all the proceeds she saved to complete her education. She took great pains to learn the best way to do everything, and enjoyed both the indoor and outdoor responsibility. Thus was the foundation laid for the versatility in labor which characterized her later life.

When fourteen, becoming proficient in household matters, she decided that she could teach, in addition to discharging her duties as housekeeper. With daily convincing proofs of her wonderful energy and perseverance, and knowledge of her excellent scholarship, she was engaged to teach in her home district. She continued these double duties until the homestead was sold and she, with her father, made her home with Mrs. Nash. The two sisters were like mother and daughter, and their devotion was always very beautiful. Her next teaching was in a neighboring district, and Miss Gregory taught in the home school, boarding with Mrs. Nash. Miss Wood, as she was then called, rode “Greg” back and forth to her school. “Greg” was a magnificent, high-spirited horse which she had broken as a colt. She continued teaching until she had sufficient money to pay her expenses through a course of study at Albany Normal School, New York, entering the senior year on examination, and graduating at the age of twenty-three in the same class