Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1860-10-13
Ml9oEaAAMN.
The Ring and the Slipper.

Nn"pJ sung HlSnI NC sung OF the enterprise
OF the men, and the beauty of the women.
Like all New England towns, it is uoted for
the freedom of thought of it's inhabitants
and here may be found every sect into which
the religion of our day is divided, from the
modest and quiet Quaker to the presuming
and violent cOmc,outcr.
The pcculiarties of the Quaker sect are
we'll known but it will be necessary to re-
MUD you of some of them, gentle reader, in
order that the feelings which are portrayed by
our story may be brought at once to YOUR
mind, and in their full force.
| Your staunch Quaker wears no icwelry,
but dresses in the plaincst possible manner.
The elders claim jurisdiction over all the acts
of the members of the congregation, and ex-
ercise it, too. There is also belief that
WHAT'S spoken in meeting comes directly from
God, and there is kind of second sight civ
en- to the holy ones so that they can read the
thoughts of the members of the congregation,
and bo able to speak at once to the point of
their peculiar welfare.
This last belief is gradually losing devotces,
but at the time in which our story took place
its truth was very generally relied upon
There is no end to delusion when once admit
ted; and the miraculous, believed in single
instance, pavcs the way for all sorts of super
stitions; and a child educated under the Qua
kcr belief of mind reading, will readily hear
and cling with pertinacity to such tales MS that
1T is unlucky to remove ring which has been
placed on your finger by another, or that a
hens growing, or dogs howling, is sign that
death is about to enter a family. With these
brief remarks, we will proceed at once to our
story of the Ring and the Slipper
Many years ago, in what is now the sub
urbs of New Bedford dwclt substantial old
Quaker who carried on large farm Neat
ness was the predominant characteristic of
his house and grounds, and certain closcness
SAID to be Quaker virtue, could be plainly
seen In all his domestic arrangements.
| The family consisted, besides himself, of a
wife aud daughter, whose name was Pr,l-
dencc, and who, under the influence of Friend
ly training, bade fair to do credit to her name.
No prettier face peeped from under drab
bonnet of Sunday in that meeting house
than hers and many sly look was cast from
the side of the house where the beaux sat prin,-
ly in their plain coats and broadbrimmed hats,
to the seat whore Prudence rested, waiting for
the moving of the Spirit. The cracked voice
of Aunt Hannah, as she gave forth the only
text she was ever known to preach upon-
La the midst of life we arc in death -
might have been acceptable to those who sat
in the high seats, and, resting on their canes,
nodded an approval with their heads to senti,
ments which their sleeping faculties could not
comprehend; but the sweet tones and ring
ing laugh of Prudence as she greeted friends
at the portal, were music in the ears of the
Quaker bcaux whose spirits had been moved
toward her, during the whole of that silent
morning.
Farmer N. had more room in his house
| hon I,nl loo, .l,..I =
a part to shoemaker and his wife, who paid
a rent IN proportion, not to the value Of what
they enjoyed, but to the prudent and calcu-
lating spirit of the farmer
The two families, living under one roof,
soon became very intimate, and spent much of
their time in each others society
Everything went on well until Charles c.
came to learn the trade of a shoemaker, and
had his scat in the shop, and his place by the
fire and at the table of his boss Charles was
a good fcllow-caroful, painstaking, and nev-
er injured his character in the eyes of his en-
ployer by "sprees;" but his Quaker ncghbor
was unwilling to acknowledge his perfection,
since it was not the result of private mcdita-
ton, or his own powerful preaching at the
most unpretcnding church in town
Nevertheless, he was wont to say (" thee
has much OF the leaven of godliness in thee
friend Charles; but thou modest the watc!
tul care of thy elders, lest thou should be-
come corrupted by the ways of the world
which are not after the moving of the GOOD
but rather of the evil spirit"
Charles was modest and retiring, and Pru-
dcnce was possessed of the same virtues, ex-
cept when they nterferrcd with her prccon-
ceYed opinions and superstitions, and then
she could battle as brave as the old foun-
ders of her sect.
These two young people often met in the
shoemakers chambers, and their shyness af-
torded much amusement to both him and his
wife The latter, indeed, often rallied them
upon it, both when they were alone and when
they were together in hel room, and even went
so far as sometimes to rise and hastily leave
the room in order as she said, "that they
might have an opportunity to court :" but
these things only made matters worse, until
one day Prudence asked Charles to make her
pair of shoes, which he readily agreed to-
The shoes were finished and given to Pru
dence, but when she offered to pay for them,
Charles declined to receive any COMPENSATION
saying that he had "done the work out of
Kindness, and did not want any pay"
Prudence insisted but Charles was firm ::
so she laid the money upon the table, and ta-
king her slippers, left the room
Charles felt blue. His first advance had
been rejected. What should he do? Keep
the money? He could not think of it. At
last a bright thought entered his mind. He
would take the money, and putting some more
NHOnlI ht.xr