Old South
minister. For Anna and her kinsfolk were of the congregation of the
Old South church; and this diary is in effect a record of the life
of Old South church attendants. Many were what Anna terms "sisters
of the Old South," and nine tenths of the names of her companions
and friends may be found on the baptismal and membership records of
that church._

_Anna was an industrious little wight, active in all housewifely
labors and domestic accomplishments, and attentive to her lessons.
She could make "pyes," and fine network; she could knit lace, and
spin linen thread and woolen yarn; she could make purses, and
embroider pocket-books, and weave watch strings, and piece
patchwork. She learned "dansing, or danceing I should say," from one
Master Turner; she attended a sewing school, to become a neat and
deft little sempstress, and above all, she attended a writing school
to learn that most indispensable and most appreciated of eighteenth
century accomplishments--fine writing. Her handwriting, of which a
fac-simile is here shown, was far better than that of most girls of
twelve to-day; with truth and justice could Anna say, "Aunt says I
can write pretily." Her orthography was quite equal to that of grown
persons of her time, and her English as good as that of Mercy
Warren, her older contemporary writer._

_And let me speak also of the condition of her diary. It covers
seventy-two pages of paper about eight inches long by six and a half
inches wide. The writing is uniform in size, every letter is
perfectly formed; it is as legible as print, and in the entire diary
but three blots can be seen, and these are very small. A few pages
were ruled by the writer, the others are unruled. The old paper,
though heavy and good, is yellow with age, and the water marks
C.F.R. and the crown stand out distinctly. The sheets are sewed in a
little book, on which a marbled paper cover has been placed,
probably by a later hand than Anna's. Altogether it is a remarkably
creditable production for a girl of twelve._

_It is well also to compare her constant diligence and industry
displayed to us through her records of a day's work--and at another
time, of a week's work--with that of any girl of her age in a
corresponding station of life nowadays. We learn that physical pain
or disability were no excuse for slothfulness; Anna was not always
well--had heavy colds, and was feverish; but well or ill was always
employed. Even with painful local