contributors were "female operatives in the Lowell mills," was published in 1842, and soon after Miss Larcom became one of its corps of writers. One of her first poems was entitled "The River," and many of her verses and essays, both grave and gay, may be found in its bound volumes. Some of those Lowell "Offering" essays appeared afterwards in a little volume called "Similitudes." That was her first published work. Since then Lucy Larcom's name has found an honored place among the women poets of America. Of late her writings have assumed a deeply religious tone, in which the faith of her whole life finds complete expression. Among her earlier and best-known poems are " Hannah Binding Shoes," and "The Rose Enthroned," Miss Larcom's earliest contribution to the "Atlantic Monthly," when the poet Lowell was its editor, a poem that in the absence of signature was attributed to Emerson by one reviewer; also "A Loyal Woman's No." which is a patriotic lyric and attracted considerable attention during the Civil War. It is such poems as those, with her "Childhood Songs," which will give the name of Lucy Larcom high rank. During much uf her earlier life Miss Larcom was teacher in some of the principal young women's seminaries of her native State. While "Our Young Folks" was published, she was connected with it, part of the time as associate, and part of the time as leading editor. She has written at length of her own youthful working-days in Lowell in an article published in the "Atlantic Monthly," about 1881, entitled "Among Lowell Mill Girls. Of late she has turned her attention more to prose writing. "A New England Girlhood" describes the first twenty to twenty-five years of her own life. Miss Larcom has always been inclined to write on religious themes, and has made two volumes of compilations from the world's great religious thinkers, "Breathings of the Better Life" (Boston, 1866) and "Beckonings" (Boston. 1886). Her last two books, "As it is in Heaven " (Boston, 1891) and "The Unseen Friend" (Boston, 1892), embody much of her own thought on matters concerning the spiritual life. Her poems have been collected in a volume of Household Series of the poets.
LARRABEE, Mrs. Anna Matilda, social leader, born in Ledyard, Conn., 13th August, 1842. She was the oldest child of Gustavus Adolphus Appelman and Prudence Anna Appclman. Her father's family is of German lineage. Her grand-father, John Frederick Appclman, was the son of a Lutheran minister stationed in Wolgast, near the
city of Stettin.
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ANNA MATILDA LARRABEE.
He arrived in the United States in 1805, and shortly afterwards took up his residence in Mystic, Conn., engaging in the fishing business
and ship-rigging. His son, Gustavus, early followed the sea, and was, while still a very young man, placed in command of a whaler, upon which he made a number of long and very successful voyages. Mrs. Appelman, the mother of Mrs. Larrabee, was the daughter of Erastus and Nancy Williams, of Ledyard, Conn. Mr. Williams was in
succession judge of New London county and member of both houses of the Legislature in his native State. Captain Appelman. tired of a sailor's life, in 1854 abandoned the sea and removed with his
family to the West to engage in farming. He settled on a farm near the village of Clermont, Iowa. The educational facilities which the new community offered to the children were rather meager, but
home tuition supplemented the curriculum of the village school. At the age of fourteen years, Anna was sent East to enter the academy in Mystic, Conn. She remained in that institution two years, pursuing her studies with unusual vigor. After her return to
Clermont, she was placed in charge of the village school, which had an enrollment of over seventy pupils, but the young teacher proved equal to her task. On t2th September, 1861, she became the wife of William Larrabee. Their family numbers three sons and four daughters. Mrs. Larrabee is the constant companion of her husband, sharing his reading at the fireside and accompanying him in his travels and political campaigns. There can be no doubt that to her fascinating manners, pleasant address and nice perception is due much of Governor Larabee's popularity and political success. Her home, which, since her marriage, has been continually in Clermont, is a temple of hospitality. While Mrs. Larrabee is averse to
frivolous pleasures, she possesses all the graces of a true hostess and leader in refined society. She forms positive opinions upon all questions agitating the public mind, but is always a lenient critic and a merciful judge. Though not a member of any religious denomination, she is deeply religious in her nature. She is interested in Sunday-school and temperance work, yet her innate
love for humanity expends itself chiefly in those words of kindness ana deeds of charity which shun public applause, and find their reward solely in an approving conscience.
LATHRAP, Mrs. Mary Torrans, poet, preacher and temperance reformer, born on a farm near Jackson, Mich., in April, 1838. Her maiden name was Mary Torrans. Her parents were Scotch-Irish Presbyterians. Miss Torrans' childhood was passed in Marshall, Mich., where she was educated in the public schools. She was a literary child, and at the age of fourteen contributed to local
papers under the pen-name "Lena." She was converted in her tenth year, but did not join the church until she was nearly eighteen years old. From 1862 to 1864 she taught in the Detroit public
schools. In 1864 she became the wife of C. C.
