trying to stop suddenly before coming in sight of the Indians. A drunken Indian, once, chasing them to the top of the hill, put a stop to the game. These Indians, who belonged to the Chippewa Nation, camped here in the summer to fish and sell their baskets. In the winter they went back to their villages and resumed their trade of hunting. Game was plenty-deer, turkeys and sometimes bears driven down by fires in the northern woods. At a little store in Owosso a lively trade in furs was carried on. Owosso, "This Bright Spot," on the "Sparkling Water" was indeed a beautiful place. Everywhere the forest was unbroken. Ere long a little schoolhouse appeared, and here on a little bench William began his let. ters, sitting in front. No studying at home in those days, and plenty of time to watch the Indian boys shooting at a mark set up in front of the store to draw their trade. The Congregational church was the first one built in town. Before it was built, William's uncle, Daniel Gould, used to read sermons in the schoolhouse. Thus, undoubtedly, the first voice heard in public worship was that of his uncle, in the schoolhouse on Washington Street. Winfield Ament died when the lad was only fourteen. Henceforth the guidance of his life was to be under the influence of his mother, of whom he was glad to say, "I owe all I am to my mother's prayers." Congenial natures and later common responsibilities aided in forming the closest and most affectionate companionship between mother and son. As Dr. Wilder has fittingly said: "They actually lived through life together. She followed every movement of her son with lively interest and supported him with her sympathy and prayers." There is always something very attractive about a strong and vigorous boy, whose unconscious life overflows upon his fellows. Will" Ament was such a boy, 66 happy-hearted beyond the measure of many. His bright blue eyes added something to his attractive address. He was full of life and overflowing energy. One of his early classmates at school says of him that he was a brave, freehearted boy, whose eyes fairly danced with fun and frolic, a boy among boys, who could run, wrestle, swim and play ball with the best. This youthful eagerness in sport never failed him until the very end. The kind of youth he himself was is perhaps best illustrated in his desire as respects his boys in the school at Peking. He was wont to say, "I like a masterful boy. I try to get such into my schools. They are ready to fight and make trouble, but that is the kind that make leaders in the end." Having been from youth such a sort of leader, kindly and forceful among his fellows, he naturally sought out such. He might have quoted the brilliant Chinese proverb, "You cannot cut a bowl out of punk wood." It was the verve and energy of an inward impulse that made his boyhood happy and strong. Many a mother, with unfailing Christian wisdom, is led almost unconsciously to the right plan of molding the thoughts or the ways of a lad. When Will was fifteen years old he planned to go to the Lakes as a sailor. The nearness to Detroit and the tales of the lake voyagers might easily lead a boy to such a thought. When he asked his mother permission to go she replied: "Yes, you may go"; but she immediately betook herself to a whole night of prayer that he might change his purpose. The boy knew what she was doing and never again mentioned the plan. It should not seem strange then that under such careful influence the ardent boy should early be led to consider himself a Christian. He joined the church at Owosso when he was twelve years old. There is both a safeguard and a peril in such early assent to the traditions of family and social life. The safeguard is in the happy restraint which naturally follows upon the frequent lawlessness of boys and men. The peril is in later losing the high purpose aimed at in the daily experience of life. The peril and the safeguard were alike seen in the personal history of William Ament. Like many another Christian disciple he had his ups and downs. An unfortunate record of an early pastor of his church cooled the ardor of the young disciple. But that was not for long. It is recorded that a revival of religion came to the home church when William was about fourteen years of age. The death of his father about this time may have added to the serious impression made upon him. The serious cast to his deeper thought did not hinder the onflowing of healthful youth. His high school days were full of the joy of mental and physical development. He was active in the sports of the day and was second baseman in the then local champion team, "The Blue Sox." One of his younger relatives writes of that period as follows: "I used to be one of the regular attachments of the club in those days. I can never forget just how Will appeared on the baseball diamond. I can see him, in memory this minute, and can feel the old thrill of those days when he stepped up to the plate to bat; can see him running the bases and hear the cheers and shouts as he made the usual home run. He was called 'Home run Ament,' I presume you know, because he would knock the ball clear over into the corner of the fair ground fence (or over it), and make a circuit of the bases. The impressions of those scenes will be fresh in memory if I live a hundred years,—the setting in the fields of the fair grounds, with the big trees about it. I have never seen a baseball game in later years that I do not recall the scene, and invariably as a part of it is Will Ament. To me he was the acme of everything noble, brave and |