before she was ten years old, under the influence of a powerful sermon, she felt that she must give herself to the Lord to be his child forever. There were hours of darkness when she felt that she was too great a sinner to be forgiven, but light came at last and she was happy in the consciousness that she was an accepted child of God.

From her father's family she inherited a fund of Irish humor, while her mother, of good old New England blood, inclined to quietness of spirit with earnestness of purpose; and this blending of fun and sobriety caused the young Christian much perturbation of spirit. Conscientious in the extreme, she had many an hour of self-questioning when she feared that, in the exuberance of youthful merriment, she had cast a shadow on her Christian profession and caused sorrow to the heart of her loving Master. Then it was that the wise and tender mother helped her to see that it was the duty of a Christian, though only a child, to be cheerful and joyous, and that it was possible to please God in her play hours as well as in attendance at church or Sunday school or prayer meeting,—just to be the happy child that he meant her to be, and to ask his help to keep her good and true.

Her school books did not satisfy her mind, and one who knew her at that time says she frequently visited the neighbors and borrowed books, some of which she read over and over again.

Her love for children led her, when she was about twelve years old, to accept the proposal of the wife of the village merchant that she assist her in the care of her baby, and the money thus earned was used to help her with her studies.

In 1848, Clara's sister Ann went to Michigan to teach, making her home with the Aunt Post who had been so dear to the children of the Swain family. After two years of teaching she was married from her aunt's home to a worthy man who still survives her. Before Ann's marriage Clara had gone to visit this aunt and was persuaded to stay, and eventually she took a small school near the farm and taught for a year. "While she was teaching," wrote one of her cousins, "my mother broke her ankle and Clara cared for her almost a year. She was a grand nurse, even at that age, and was a great comfort to us all; she was so bright and cheerful that we were unwilling to have her leave us."

Her talent for nursing was called into requisition soon after her return to Castile when the children of the Presbyterian minister, the Rev. Mr. Hurlburt, became ill with typhoid fever and she was called to assist in caring for them. It was an anxious time for the nurse as well as the parents, as one child after another fell ill. Two of the children died, and later the father succumbed to the fatal illness. The faithful nurse remained with the distracted widow and the remaining children can cared for them tenderly as long as they needed her services. In an old and well-worn Bible is this inscription in her handwriting: "This is the first Bible I ever owned. It was presented to me by Rev. and Mrs. Hurlburt."

The sumer of 1855 found Miss Swain, then twenty-one years of age, teaching a few private pupils in the village. One of her scholars of that summer recently spoke of her loving interest in her pupils and her care for their welfare. The following year she went to live with some cousins in Pike and attend the school there.

Mr. Swain had a sister living in Canandaigua, who, knowing of Clara's strong desire for self-improvement, invited her to come there for a year of study in the seminary, an invitation which she gladly accepted; and after a year of close study she obtained a position as teacher in the primary department of one of the public schools. "Clara was determined to get an education and make use of it if she could," wrote one of her cousins.

TEACHING IN CANANDAIGUA

In the spring of 1859 began an acquaintance with one who was ever after one of Miss Swain's dearest friends. Miss Martha McFarland of Albany accepted the position of teacher in the intermediate department of the school in which Miss Swain was teaching and they at once became friends. As Miss Swain's aunt was soon to leave Canandaigua, the two friends secured a pleasant boarding-place, and for three years they walked to school together in the morning and home again in the afternoon. Bothe were nature-lovers and many a delightful hour they spent on their holidays and Saturday afternoons and whenever they could find leisure for one of their picnic outings. They were both members of the Methodist Church and were constant in their attendance at the Sunday services and at Sunday school as well as at the midweek prayer and class-meetings, and were ever ready to help in all forms of church work.

Through her years of teaching Miss Swain showed the same conscientious spirit that was evidenced in her child and school life. "Have I done all I ought? Have I been as helpful to my pupils as I might be?" she often asked herself. For a time she taught a class in Sunday school, and her boys were impressed by her consistent life. Later, one of them said, "We noticed that you always went to prayer meeting so we thought we would go and see what was in it." This class was a joy to her and her pleasure was great when one and another gave himself to the Lord for service.

"Miss Swain was ready in season and out of season," said one of her friends. "One Sunday evening when a company of us were together having a sing, she turned to a young man near her and bluntly asked, 'Why are you not a Christian?' Taken by surprise, the young man had no answer ready and they both went on singing." The Rev. Mr. Hibbard was pastor of the Methodist Church in Canandaigua and Miss Swain and her friend very much enjoyed an occasional visit to the parsonage, where they were always warmly welcomed.

TRAINING IN THE SANITARIUM

Notwithstanding her love for children, Miss Swain did not find teaching altogether a delight. The inattention of the children and the daily routine made her feel irritable, she said, but she kept steadily on, hoping in time to carry out a purpose which she had in mind of some day becoming a doctor. When an opportunity offered for her to take a position in the Castile Sanitarium under Dr. Cordelia A. Greene, she gladly gave up teaching and entered upon a course of training which, though sometimes irksome, proved more congenial than her former occupation.

All the way along, her strong will had availed to overcome obstacles, and here, during many weary hours, she comforted herself with the thought that she was nearing the goal of her ambition. She could not have had a more satisfactory opportunity for the training that she needed; for though Dr. Greene exacted thoroughness in every line of work, she was so sympathetic and so ready to give a word of commendation and encouragement, that her pupil could not do otherwise than accede to all the requirements of her position. It was not long before doctor and pupil became fast friends and the congenial companionship was a life-long pleasure to both. "I owe much to Dr. Cordelia," she said many times in after life.

AT THE MEDICAL COLLEGE

After three years of study and practice in the Sanitarium she applied for admission to the Woman's Medical College in Philadelphia, from which she was graduated in the spring of 1869. She often spoke of the pleasure she had in lingering in the park after class hours, on her way to her boarding-place, and of the occasional free and intimate talks with certain of her instructors.

She enjoyed the Sabbath services and had many opportunities of hearing some of the celebrated preachers of the day. The Rev. Dana Boardman seems to have been a favorite with her and she took notes of several of his sermons. "Bishop Simpson's Christmas sermon (1868) on Luke 2:13, 14, filled my heart with peace and good-will