Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1865-07-11
sTAUAToN, VA, TUESDAY, JULY H. 1850.

thou; vther lnstead OF tnee, ior He Is q
gramattv Friend, indeed, who uses ''thou''
in common parlance. He owned to sreDking,
and absolutely .'wished they had piano OF,
fiddle, and could get up dance ~ 4
Poor, misguided creature, .nobodys Asd
taught him better. The Quakers were gen.
tie with him, and Bessy explained, eve
Friends don't dance, friend Hubbard, to
which he replied, "Ah, I was not aware Of
that I beg your pardon, Miss Prout, and
that of the other ladies and gentlemen.
~ he had said, ssThee and other friends
must excuse me, friend Bessy,' it would
have been better. : ''Ladies and gentlemen"
and "Miss Prout" frightened the Quakers-
it was such worldly language.
OF course, there was neither singing nor
dancing, but they played "hot butter, blue
beans," and ''ring a. rosy" and the forfeits
being generally kisses, Mr.. Hubbard enjoyed
himself amazingly; Perhaps no one noticed
it, Perhaps they did-but he manfged to Kiss
Bessy ofteEer than any one else. And that
night walked home with her, while Friend
Peter was searching for his. bro brimmed
hat.
Questioned by her mother, swered:
sI thought it best to allow est he
should think Friends proud-p young
man. Doubtless friend Peter found Spleas-
anter companion and was nowise hurt
So maternal solicitude was put at rest, and
few impressions were awakened by the fact
that Mr.. ohm Hubbard soon TOOK an ini-.
mense interest in butter and cheese, ,conversed
with friend Ephraim on those subjects with
great animation, when they encountered each
other at that Friends store, and managed to
be invited home to tea because he really
could not leave friend Ephraim until he quite
comprehended the advantages OF the new pat
ent churn. Very naturally, very easily, he
became sociable... His merry voice and dan
cing. bIack eyes were welcome. Hannah Prout
took some pains to provide sundry good
things in the eating line which he was fond
of. Friend Ephraim talked cheese and but
ter to him; and Bessy-we pause there
We do not know the Quaker term for falling
in love, but we believe it might be allowable
to say that Bessy was pleased with the young
friend. Her improvement in 5read-m aking
as miraculous. One evening Hannah cut
the loaf, and smiling turned to her daughter
|. and said:
"Bessy, thee mahes bread as we'll as thy
mother. [ never cut a nicer loaf.
And Bessy blushed with satisfaction-as
you might, dear young lady reader, should
Herr Tweedledom say-"You play as we'll as
do myself, Madame,'' after your execution
under his tuition of some difficult piece of
music for, amongst the Friends the maker
Of good bread is honored.
That afternoon was one to be remembered,
for the placid stream of Bessy's life was
turned and the waters grew somewhat turbid
for awhile.
The time had come when friend Peter
Potter might be gratifed. His wife was
ready for him. "A conference was held be-
tween the father and the anxious widswer
respecting Bessy' pecuniary prospects, should
Der future spouse die first, and the courtship
commenced. Not by Peter going down on
his knees to Bessy, not by q love-lstter, but
oy Friend Ephraim agreeing to "speah to
the child"
That ight he spoke.
The three sat before the ire--Ephraim
twidding his thumbs Hannah darning
stockings S'The child -Bessy-hnitting.
Ephraim begun
'gessy.
Yes, father.
'1'hee made good loaf yesterday
= Yes father.
'Thy mother says it was not chance, but
understanding.
'Yes father.
Thou art fit to manage a house of thy
own. "
4 think so, father.