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Rh Ballard ever since she sent her first poem to William Cullen Bryant, who gave it a place in the "Evening Post." Her early literary efforts were very ambitious ones. When she was only thirteen years old, she wrote a continued story about a hair-pin, managing to introduce an elopement, an angry father, tears, repentance and forgiveness. She also wrote an essay on Sappho. She began to write poems at the age of sixteen, but her first published productions made their appearance when she was twenty-one years old. Since her bow to the public in the poets' corner of the "Evening Post," she has contributed occasionally to some thirty periodicals. She has published "Idle Fancies" (Troy, Pa.. 1883), for private circulation, and a new edition for the general public (Philadelphia, 1884).

BALLOU, Miss Ella Maria, stenographer, born in Wallingford, Vt., 15th November, 1882, and has spent her life in her native State. She was educated in the Wallingford high school and immediately after leaving school began life as a teacher, in which vocation she w as successful, but was rebellious over what she considered the injustice of requiring her to accept for equal service a much smaller compensation than was paid to a man of equal or less ability. After a few years of labor as a teacher, she learned shorthand and adopted it as a life-work. The persistence and thoroughness that had been a characteristic of her girlhood manifested itself in her work, and she went into the courts and wrote out evidence and argument until she became noted for accuracy and skill, and in 1885. upon the unanimous application of the Rutland County Bar. Hon. W. G. Veazey, Judge of the Supreme Court, appointed her the official reporter of Rutland County Court. Hers was the first appointment of a

woman as official stenographer in Vermont, if not in the United States, her success in her work has been marked and she has also been appointed official reporter of the adjoining county of Addison. When not in court, Miss Ballou does general work in her profession. She has also done some literary work in the line of essays and addresses. Miss Ballou is a practical example of what may be done by women, and while she earnestly claims all her rights as a woman and her full right to have as much pay for her labor as is paid to a man for the same service, she makes no claim to be allowed to vote or hold office. She honors her sex and exalts it to an equality with the other, and yet believes it to be a distinct order of human life.

BANCKER, Miss Mary E. C., author, known by her pen-name, "Betsey Bancker," born

in New York City. 1st September, 1860. She is a lineal descendant of that old and historical Knickerbocker family whose name she bears, which came from Holland in 1658. The Bancker family intermarried with the De Puysters, Rutgers, Ogdens and Livingstons. The maternal grandfather of Miss Bancker was Michael Henry, one of the leading merchants of New York, as well as patron of art, and founder and owner of the once famous picture gallery at Number 100 Broadway. Mr. Henry was of Huguenot extraction. His ancestors, driven out of France after the revocation of the Edict of Nantes, during the reign of Louis XIV, established themselves at Henry's Grove, Armaugh, Ireland. Mr. Henry's father, John Sinclair Henry, came to America with the idea of founding a colony in South Carolina. Homeward bound, he stopped in New York, where he met Leah, of the old Brevoort family, of that city, and, wooing and wedding her, he remained and established a shipping business between this country and Newry, Ireland. Miss Mary, daughter of F. J. Bancker, began to write early. Her maiden efforts were a series of sketches descriptive of outdoor life, appearing in the "Turf, Field and Farm." These articles were well received and extensively copied. Miss Bancker corresponded for the Cincinnati "Enquirer" during