“’On the 30th of April, 1795, lent John Ford five dollars. 
     L1 17s. 6d.

     “’12th of December, 1797, bought a pound of candles at 1s.
     8d.

     “’Sold to John Collins 2 qts. of dried peaches 6d. “1 qt.
     mead 4d.

     “’On the 26th of March, came Joshua Sanks with 3 or 4
     bushels of turnips to feed the cows.

     “’13th of April, 1803, planted beans and sowed cabbage
     seed.’

“He took down from a shelf a little book, wherein he registered the names of those, by whose visits he felt particularly honored, and recorded my mother’s name upon the list; he then, diffidently, but very respectfully, requested her acceptance of one of his Almanacs in manuscript.”

Within a few days after this visit Mrs. Mason addressed him in a poetical letter, which found its way into the papers of the section, and was generally read.  The subjoined portions are sufficient to exhibit the character of the effusion.  The admonitory lines at the end doubtless refer to his early addiction to strong drink.

     “An Address to BENJAMIN BANNEKER, an African Astronomer,
     who presented the Author with a Manuscript Almanac in
     1796.”

       “Transmitted on the wings of Fame,
       Thine eclat sounding with thy name,
       Well pleased, I heard, ere ’twas my lot
       To see thee in thy humble cot. 
       That genius smiled upon thy birth,
       And application called it forth;
       That times and tides thou could’st presage,
       And traverse the Celestial stage,
       Where shining globes their circles run,
       In swift rotation round the sun;
       Could’st tell how planets in their way,
       From order ne’er were known to stray. 
       Sun, moon and stars, when they will rise,
       When sink below the upper skies,
       When an eclipse shall veil their light,
       And hide their splendor from our sight.
       . . . . . . . . . 
       Some men whom private walks pursue,
       Whom fame ne’er ushered into view,
       May run their race, and few observe
       To right or left, if they should swerve,
       Their blemishes would not appear,
       Beyond their lives a single year.—­
       But thou, a man exalted high,
       Conspicuous in the world’s keen eye,
       On record now, thy name’s enrolled,
       And future ages will be told,—­
       There lived a man named BANNEKER,
       An African Astronomer!—­
       Thou need’st to have a special care,
       Thy conduct with thy talent square,
       That no contaminating vice,
       Obscure thy lustre in our eyes.”

During the following year Banneker sent the following letter to his good friend Mrs. Mason:—­

     “August 26th, 1797.