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172 what she knew was carefully imparted to Ada. She not only confined her teaching to what could be gained from books, but the fundamental principles of house-wifery were carefully taught, and although to the negro the term and use of the kindergarten were absolutely unknown, this mother intuitively grasped the idea in teaching Ada to plan, sew, cut and fit for a large doll of her own and to make all of the stitches common to ordinary needle-work, thus indelibly impressing upon the child's mind the practical bearing and relation which these things would have upon the necessities of real life.

When Ada was nine years old her mother died, leaving three children, an older sister and a younger brother. The sister soon married. Many persons were anxious to adopt Ada, because of her known usefulness and capability in household lines. The father, however, kept her and her brother together, Ada being housekeeper and "maid of all work." This condition of affairs obtained but for three brief years, when the father was, in the wisdom of God, called to his final rest.

Ada and her brother then went to live with their sister, whose husband was particularly cruel and overbearing. Not desiring either of the children to secure the advantages of an education, he ordered that Ada should be put to service as a nurse. Her independent spirit revolted at the indignity, and justly so, as she supported entirely her brother and herself and only needed his roof as a protection. Her present knowledge of books enabled her to secure several adult pupils at night, who