I70 ‘I’Jbe HAZARD FAMILY 
     
    
   
   
    
     For the last thirteen years of his life, his home was in Wakefield. Here he to.— 
     
    

    
     lowed the congenial occupation of teaching, greatly enjoying the kindly inter— 
     
     course with his attached pupils. . .He had very lately been employed on a 
     
     “ History of Washington County, Rhode Island’ ’which was included 1n a “His— 
     
     tory of the New England States,” published 1n Boston. His last public aft was 
     
     on the occasion of the late presidential election, when rallying his last failing 
     
     strength for an effort of duty, he went to the polls 1n the care of a young clerical 
     
     brother, and leaning on the faithful arm of his young companion, cast his vote 
     
     for the perpetuating of those principles of freedom and nationality to which he 
     
     had ever been consistently, though unobtrusively devoted. It was evidently at 
     
     this time that he received some intimation that it was in vain to expect a return 
     
     of health, for he spoke to his friend in terms similar to those which he afterwards 
     
     used in his family, to the effect that God’s time was the rightful one; and that to 
     
     have lived as long as He ordained was long enough to satisfy a submissive spirit. 
     
    

    
     There was a touching gentleness of resignation 1n the greatness of soul thus un— 
     
     consciously manifested by one who cherished an innocent love oflife, and always 
     
     found something to enjoy, something for which to give thanks, even under hard 
     
     conditions.’ 
     
    

    
     “ The Reverend James Helme Carpenter passed to his rest by slow and sensible 
     
     degrees, and, after a protracted and wearisome illness, meekly and submissively 
     
     rendered back his spirit to the God who gave him life. He was a man without 
     
     guile, transparent and simple as a child, always accepting his lot as the ordering 
     
     of One who knew what was the discipline which he most needed. Mr. Carpenter 
     
     was a studious and thoughtful man. He did the work that was given him to do, 
     
    

    
     thoroughly and to his best ability , and when his public career was over, he con— 
     
     tinued to benefit those around him by his pure and unspotted life, and absolute 
     
     resignation to the will of God.” 2 
     
    

    
     Esther Bernon Carpenter, the first child that came to bless the parents’ home 
     
     with her presence, was rarely gifted by nature, and highly cultivated by her ar— 
     
     dent love for study. She was educated in her father’s house, passing a few years 
     
     only at S. Mary’s Hall, in New Jersey. Few children, however, have had the 
     
     careful training and instruction that she received from her father; at eleven 
     
     years of age she was reading with him, Shakespeare 3 plays, enjoying and possi— 
     
     bly appreciating them more than many olde1 persons. Leaving school did not 
     
     mean, for her, giving up study, but on the contrary, a continuance and constant 
     
     advancement She was fond of the study of languages, and had a good working 
     
     knowledge of Latin, German, French and Spanish. With .the exception of Latin, 
     
     which she studied at school and under her father, she was almost entirely self— 
     
     taught. Her reading was, like her memory, marvellous, and she was thoroughly 
     
     well informed on all intellectual subjects, and was rarely at fault 1n a quotation 
     
    
   
   
    
       
     
    
   
   
    
     1 A Memorial of the late James H. Carpenter. By his daughter, Esther Bernon Carpenter. 
     
     2 From the Address of Rt. Rev. Thomas M. Clarke, at the Ninety-first Annual Convention of the Diocese of Rhode 
     
    
   
   
    
     Island, June 14th, 1881. 
     
     from