of a pioneer in this world-wide movement by organizing and directing the young people's work of her denomination, the first young people's society of any denomination being organized in a Free Baptist church.
The six years that followed proved that she had inherited her father's capacity to serve a great cause with boundless energy and enthusiasm. Into this brief period was crowded a phenomenal amount of labor; for to the duties of editorship there was added the exacting work of a general secretary, which included travelling, arranging for and addressing conventions, organizing new societies, and carrying on a vast amount of correspondence. It was in the days before the word "strenuous" had attained to its present hard-worked prominence, but her life at this time amply merited the term. It was also somewhat unusual for a woman to wield great influence from the platform, but as a speaker Miss Perkins possessed the rare combination of magnetism, grace, and sympathy that were their own best justification.
She was greatly beloved and loyally followed by the host of young people whom she had organized into a splendid working force, but the long-continued strain of the combined duties of secretary and .editor finally made a vacation of at least a year imperative. Before the year was over, however, she received an unexpected and flattering invitation to become preceptress of the New England Conservatory of Music, located in Boston. This position she retained for six years, until the removal of the Conservatory, in 1902, to its present building on Huntington Avenue of the same city. A change in the school management altered her duties somewhat, but she is still connected with the Conservatory (1904), and retains her official title. During the year 1903 she again evinced her versatility by making a systematic catalogue of the rare musical scores and other valuable volumes of the Conservatory Library.
Her work at the Conservatory, although directed in a somewhat different channel, has been logically a continuation of her life of service for young people. The organization of the Conservatory Young Women's Christian Association, which has brought the school into affiliation with the great Christian student movement among the colleges, was due entirely to her influence, and she has continued quietly active in its behalf. Her general culture, her wide experience, her intuitive sympathy, and her rich endowment of idealism have admirably fitted her to be the friend and counsellor of young women, and no girl has ever appealed to her in vain for advice, or comfort, or "mothering." The young in heart are always beloved, and this tribute of love has followed her wherever she has gone. The fragrance of such a life as hers is like that of the alabaster box of precious ointment—which has ever been the symbol of unselfish service and devotion.
MARY STONE BURNHAM.—It has been well said: "It is as difficult to write a faithful biography as to paint a true portrait. The artist gives form, line, color, and a phase of life and expression. The biographer gives country, line-
age, personal appearance, deeds; but the better part of life, the incentive, is as hard to catch, as delicate to transcribe, as the soul is to imprison on canvas." The incentive in the life of Mrs. Burnham, it may well be said, is a deep- rooted generosity, which has prompted her to carry out the principle she has adopted, "Let me share my portion with others."
Mary Stone Burnham (born Stone) is a native of Maine. Her early years were passed at the home of her parents in South Paris, that State. She was educated for a teacher at the Farmington State Normal School, and before her marriage to Josiah Burnham, of Portland, was successfully engaged in the duties of her profession. Interest in school work and ability to discover the best methods of meeting the needs of pupils caused her to be a tower of strength when the work of schoolroom decoration was begun in Portland.
Early in January, 1897, an informal tea was given by Mrs. George C. Frye to the committee on this work, club presidents, and associate members, at which time suggestions as to ways
