LUCRETIA MOTT.
One of the most famous characters of American womanhood was born at Nantucket, January 3, 1793. Her father was a sea captain; her mother, one of those energetic, sensible, cheerful women of that day and time. As an illustration of the amusements of the children in that simple home, one writer says of Mrs. Coffin, Lucretia's mother, that it was her custom to say to her daughters: "Now after you have finished knitting twenty bouts you may go down in the cellar and pick out as many as you want of the smallest potatoes, the very smallest, and roast them in the ashes." The family moved to Boston when Lucretia was but twelve years of age and she received her primary education at a public school, which her father felt was more in accordance with the democracy of our country. Later she attended the Friends' Boarding School, at Nine Partners, New York. James Mott, her cousin, attended this same school and here their friendship began. At fifteen, Lucretia was appointed an assistant teacher in this school, and she and Mr. Mott took up the study of French together. When she was eighteen and James Mott twenty-one, they were married and went to reside at the home of Lucretia's father in Philadelphia. Mr. Mott assisted Mr. Coffin in his business. The war of 1812 came on and destroyed Mr. Coffin's business, and the death of Captain Coffin soon thereafter brought great suffering upon the family. James Mott endeavored to do what he could for their support, but his business venture proved also a dismal failure and Lucretia Mott decided to open a school, which commenced with four pupils and soon increased to forty. Mr. Mott's prospects also had improved and the family were placed in more cheerful and satisfactory surroundings. Lucretia Mott's family were Quakers and about the time she was twenty-five her natural religious tendency compelled her to give up work as a teacher, and she began the close study of the Bible. At this time she had four children, but the care of her house did not prevent her becoming a diligent student. Her husband, James Mott, was now prospering in a cotton business, and so luxuries had been added to the necessities of the home, which gave her more time for her work and she was enabled to go to the different Quaker meetings and speak. She had always been deeply interested in the question of slavery and on December 4, 1833, when a convention met in Philadelphia for the purpose of forming The American Anti-Slavery Society, Lucretia Mott was one of four women to brave criticism and social ostracism as friends of the then despised abolitionists. She spoke at this meeting with great earnestness and power and immediately after the Philadelphia Female Anti-Slavery Society was formed with Mrs. Mott chosen as its president. The women were so unused to the proper methods of organization and conduct of a woman's society that they were obliged to call a colored man to the chair to assist them. We all have read how these anti-slavery lecturers suffered. Some were even tarred and feathered. In New York and Philadelphia houses were burned, church windows broken, and threats were being made to destroy the home of Mr. and Mrs. Mott, but amidst all this frenzy Mrs. Mott remained placid and unruffled even when the mob threatened her with personal violence. In 1839 the World's Convention was called in London to discuss the slavery question, and among the delegates sent from this country were James