associates here were the sons of other planters of the immediate neighborhood. The teachers selected to look after their educational advancement, were such as had fully demonstrated their fitness for the work, and their pupils, as a rule, made rapid progress in their studies, and were passed along to collegiate courses without unnecessary delay or waste of time,

By such continuous and well-directed training, Mr. Allen was prepared to enter college when he was but fifteen years of age, and, in fact, did enter college early in his sixteenth year. In company with his elder brother, now Rev. Frank W. Allen, president of the Missouri Female Orphan College at Fulton, Mo., he was matriculated at Bethany College, Va., in the fall of 1864.

In college he distinguished himself for his proficiency in all the studies of the curriculum, and especially for his thorough mastery of the classics. In 1867, when he was but a few months more than nineteen years of age, he graduated from Bethany College with the class honors of a class in which he was by far the youngest member, and of which the average age was twenty-six and a half years.

Among the distinguished friends of the college who were present at the commencement exercises of that date, were Judge Jere Black, of Pennsylvania, and General James A. Garfield, of Ohio, both of whom were officially connected with the institution as trustees.

It is well known that a distinguish. ing characteristic of both these eminent men, was a kindly regard for young men, and the interest which they took under all circumstances, in aiding them as far as possible to get a right start in life. Allen's youthfulness, the real excellence of the oration which he delivered upon the occasion of his graduation, and the fact that he had carried off the college honors, naturally attracted to him the attention of both the jurist and statesman, and both were among the first to tender him their congratulations and inquire as to his plans and purposes for the future. A friendship of many years standing with the father of the young man, added materially to Garfield's interest in him, and immediately after his graduation he was invited to call upon the latter, to confer with him as to his future course of action. At this meeting General Garfield approved of his purpose to enter the legal profession, but advised him to defer reading law for a year or two, and in the meantime to engage in teaching school. His own experience had led him to believe that teaching constituted a good field of mental discipline, and one which would round out the character of his young friend, and fit him more fully for the practice of his chosen profession. After promising to follow this advice, young Allen parted from his distinguished adviser, the latter assuring him that he should watch with interest his future career, and stand ready

to assist him at any time that opportunity offered. This acquaintance, which began just as the young collegian stepped acrossed the threshold of active life, ripened into a friendship which was of inestimable value to him.

Garfield took a genuine interest in his career, advising him whenever he deemed it necessary, and losing no opportunity to aid his advancement. This intimacy was not interrupted after Garfield became President, and the kindly interest of former years was manifested during his deplorably short occupancy of the White House.

Upon graduating at Bethany College, in 1867, Mr. Allen went to New York State, where he became associate principal of Williamsville Classical Institute, located near Buffalo. The following year he came to Waukegan, Ill., where he accepted the position of principal of the High School of that city. He remained there two years, a portion of the time acting as superintendent of the Waukegan School.

While teaching school at Waukegan, he began reading law in the office of Messrs. Blodgett, Upton & Williams, the senior member of the firm being Hon. Henry W. Blodgett, now Judge of the United States Courts for the Northern District of Illinois.

In 1869 he removed to Omaha, Neb., and completed his law studies, being a portion of the time in the of fice of Hon. A. J. Poppleton, one of

the most noted corporation lawyers of the north-west. Before he was admitted to the bar, he was brought prominently before the public-or at least that part of it made up of lawyers-by the publication of "Allen's Hand-book of the Nebraska Code," a work which was favorably received by the profession.

In 1870 he was admitted to the bar at Omaha, and at once began practicing in that city. He met with flattering success, and would most likely have continued in the practice there had not the fire of 1871 in Chicago opened to him, as it did to many others, what seemed to be a wide and inviting field. With the building up of a new city, in place of "old Chicago," an opportunity was presented. for young men in the professions, as well as in general business, to start on an equal footing with the great majority of their competitors, and the outlook was promising. Taking this view of the situation, Mr. Allen came to Chicago in 1872; and since that time he has been continuously engaged in the practice of his profession in this city. As a lawyer, he has not disappointed those who knew him in the flush of a promising young manhood and predicted for him a brilliant career. Although still looked upon as a young man, he is, in fact, one of the older members of the Chicago bar, and, his ability having been tested in many hard-fought legal contests, his reputation as one of the scholarly, accomplished and well

equipped lawyers of the west has been fully established. Like most lawyers and public men who emenate from Kentucky, his oratorical ability is of a high order, and his public addresses upon social, political and educational questions have all been worthy of his nativity and brought new honor to it.

In 1880 he appeared as a campaign speaker in support of General Garfield; and again in 1884, as a supporter of Blaine for the Presidency; but since that time he has not taken an active interest in politics. Declining various nominations to official positions, he has confined his public services to active participation in the conduct of the educational department of the city government and in the management of the public library of the city, of which he was a director, and in the building up of which his services have been exceedingly valuable.

Within the past few years he has become, perhaps, even as widely known as a literateur as a lawyer. Always a lover of choice literature and an admirer of literary genius, his associations have been largely with the men and women who have become prominent in the world of letters; and it has followed, as a natural consequence, that literary work should constitute his diversion from the cares and perplexities of professional life.

Like Thomas Nelson Page-who, by the way, is also a lawyer-he has

found attractive material in a Southern field. Familiar from childhood with the vernacular, habits, disposition and quaint superstitions of the colored race, it has been his fancy to write a number of Southern sketches (introducing the dialect of the negro), the graceful style, pathos, tenderness and realism of which, have more than charmed the public. Some of his literary productions have found their way into the magazines, but he has withheld his negro sketches from print, and only consented to give readings of them now and then, which have delighted highly-cultured and critical audiences. As word-paintings of Southern scenes, these dialect sketches sketches are admirably conceived, and the author has the happy faculty of reading them with inimitable grace and effect. His readings are largely confined to his own writings, and are regarded as genuine literary events, always attracting large audiences of the most cultured people of a great city, while the public press furnishes the warmest commendation of the literary worth of these sketches, as well as of their unique rendition. Mr. Allen's friends-among whom are some of the most distinguished dialect writers and readers, with whom he has appeared upon the platform-have repeatedly urged him to publish these sketches in the magazines, but he declines so to use them. An intimation has been made, however, that at some time in the near future the gems of literature which have been the pro

duct of his pen, shall be gathered together and published in book form, when they will assuredly take their place along with the Southern classics of Joel Chandler Harris, Thomas Nelson Page and George W. Cable.

Like Mr. Page himself, Mr. Allen finds his recreation in his literary work. The law is a jealous mistress, it is true; but certainly no fault can be found with such faithful service as Mr. Allen gives her. No lawyer is more constant and tireless in his labor. His practice extends over a large area of territory, and in championing the numerous and varied causes committed to his care, he is called upon to measure resources and legal acumen with the most learned and sagacious of western lawyers. The successful practice of law in this field. demands not only native ability, but extensive research and genius for analytical reasoning, tireless energy and indefatigable industry.

Turning from these exacting labors, now and then, when occasion permits, Mr. Allen drifts naturally into the field of literature; and his early experiences, his love of nature, and his thorough appreciation of and familiarity with one of the quaint products of American civilization, have given color to much of what he has written.

However, enviable as may be the

place in literature which he has attained or may hereafter attain, his front rank as a lawyer has been fully established by twenty years and more of active practice at the bar.

He was married in 1870 to Josephine A. Allen, a beautiful and accomplished woman, and has one daughter, a charming young lady seventeen years of age, now in college at Old Monticello.

HOWARD LOUIS CONARD.

AT the last annual meeting of the Chicago Pathological Society, held some time since, Dr. Addison H. Foster was chosen by his brother practitioners to preside over the deliberations of that organization of leading Chicago physicians during the ensuing year.

While his election to the presidency of the Pathological Society was a testimonial to his high character as a physician, and his professional prominence in Chicago, it was by no means necessary to introduce him to the public of this city. For nearly twentythree years he has practiced medicine. in Chicago, and long since became generally known, not only as a successful physician, but as a scholarly and cultured gentleman and a most estimable citizen.

Addison Howard Foster, was born at Wilton, N. H., November 13, 1838, and is descended from two of the noted pioneer immigrants to New England. His paternal immigrant ancestor was Reginald Foster, who came to this country from Scotland and set

tled at Ipswich, Mass., in 1638, and three years prior to that date-in 1635-his maternal immigrant ancestor, Samuel Howard, had come from London, England, to become a settler at Charlestown, Mass.

The descendants of these two pioneers among the settlers of America, were participants in the Revolutionary war, and many of them have since been conspicuous figures in American history. The four greatgrandfathers of Dr. Foster were Revolutionary soldiers; three of them, Joshua Foster, Samuel Howard, and Benjamin Tenney, being named in the list of those who marched from Temple, N. H., to Cambridge, on the alarm of the 19th of April, 1775. One grandfather of Dr. Foster also served in the Independence war, making the number of his ancestors who participated in that struggle, five. Of these five patriots, Captain William A. Hawkins, one of Dr. Foster's greatgrandfathers rendered the most distinguished services. His home was at Wilton, N. H., and it was on the