Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, IA [i.e. Ind.]) 1839-1854, 1845-06-25

There brighter color than usual on the mai
den's checks and unwonted radiance in her mild
doop eyes, Aftcr n short silence, she said. in a
VOICE slightly tremulous, Friend John. have
subject of great importance on my mind and one
which nearly interests thee. am strongly i'm
pressed that the Lord has sent thee 10 me u
partner for fo tell thee my impression frank
y. but not without calm and deep reflections; for
matrimony is holy relation and should be enter
cd into with all sobroty. 1t thou hast light
on the sub ect, wilt thou gather into tho Stiffness
and Ieverently listen to thy own inward reveal
ingslS Thou art to leave this part of the
try Tomorrow, and not knowing when should
sec thee again, felt moved TO tell thoe what lay
upon my mind.
The young man takon by surprise; though
accustomed TO that suppression of emotion. which
charactorlxcs his religious sect, the color went
and camo rapidly in his fuco, for moments but
he soon became cnlmcr, and replied, ''Ths
thought is to mo, 1:lizaSeth und have
light thereon Thy company has boon right
pleasant TO me, and thy countenanco ever
minds mo of William Pcnn's title page, limo
cency with her open face" ] havo seen thy
kindness to tho poor, and tho wise management
Of thy household. havo observed. too, that thy
warm-heartcdncss is tempered by a most cxcol-
lent discretion and that thy speech IS over sim
zero. Assuredly, such is tho maiden l would
ask Of the Lord, n most precious gift; but
never thought of this in connection with thcc. l
camc to this country sololy on religious visits
and it nigh: distract my mind to entertain this
subject at present. Whom have discharged tho
duties of my mission, will speak further
at IS bost;" reloined the maidon, "but there
IS ono thing 6isturbs my conscience. Thou hast
spoken of my truo spocch; and yot, friend John,
| havo deceived thoo. oven now, while comforting
together q subject serious l know not
from what weakness the temptation came; but
will not hide it from thee. | told tl.oo | was
looking SOC if Joseph bucklcd tho grth Of my
h,ro, hut NIL, frti, l
ing tho girtb, John, that the saddle night slip.
and give mo an excuse to fall behnd friends;
FOR | thought thou wouldst DO kind enough TO
como and ask if needed thy sorvicos."
This puro Transparency of motive seemed less
wonderful to John l.staugh than it would to a man
of moro worldly ways. or loss familiar with tho
simplicity Of primitive Quahcrs. Nevertheless,
tho perfect guclossness of tho maiden cndoarcd
hcr his honest hoart, and no found it difficuIt to
Danish from his thoughts tho important subject
she had suggested. 1t was obscrva bio in this SIM
gular courtship, that no mention was mado Of
worldly substance. John did not say, 81 am
poor, and thou rich;'' no did not think of
it. And it had entered I:lizaboth's mind only
in tho form of thnnkfulnoss to God that sho
provided with homo large enough for both.
They spoke no further concerning their union;
but whom he returned to England, in July, no
pressed her hand aoctionatcly, no said.
" Farewell, Elizabeth. If it be tho Lords will.
| shall return to thoo soon." He fingered, and
thcir hands tromblcd in each othors clasp; thon
drawing her gently toward him, no imprinted a
kiss on hor opon innocent forehead. Sho looked
inodesty into his cioar honest eyes, and ropllod
in tho kindost tones, .IFarowoll, Friond John,
may the Lord bless thee and guido thee.
In October he returned 10 America, and thoy
wcro soon after married. at Newtown meeting,
according to the simple form of tho Society of
Friends. Neither of thom mado any change of
dress for tho occasion, and thoro was no wedding
feast. Without tho aid of priest magistrate,
they took each other by tho hand, and III tho
presence of witnesses, calmly and soomnly
promised to be kind and faithful to each othor.-
Their mutual promises wcro recorded III tho
church books, aud tho wcddod pair quietly
turned to their happy homo, with mono to int.udc
upon those sacred hours Of human lifc, when tho
heart mos. noeds 10 DO left alono with its own
deep emotions.
They lived together noarly forty years in tho
greatest unity. During that period she three
limos crossed the Atlantic. to visit her ogod pa
rents, and no occasionally loft hor for n season
when called abroad to preach. These tempora-
" separations were folt u cross, but tho strong
hearted woman always choerfully gave him up
o follow his own convictions of duty. In 1742,
10 parted from hor, to go on religious visit to
Tortoia, in the Wost Indies. He died there in
he sixty-sovcnth year Of his age. Sho publish
ID religious tract of his, to which is prefixed
preface. entitled, elizabeth Estaugh's testimony
concerning her beloved husband, John Estaugh.''
IN this preface, she says, 'Snco it pleased Divine
Providence SO highly to favor me, with bong tho
AGAR companion Of this dear worthy, must give
some small account of him. Few, if any, in q
married state, over lived in swoetcr harmony
han we did. He was pattern of moderation in
Ill THINGS not lifted up with any enjoyments, nor
,ast down at dsappoin.mcnts. A man endowed
vith many good gifts, which rendered him very
greeable TO his friends. and much more to me,
lis wife. to whom his memory is most dear and
Precious"
Tho brick tomb in which he was buried at Tor
ola IS still pointed out Quaker travellers; ono
# whom recently writes, "I5y circutous path.
Trough dense thicker, camo to the spot