Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1868-02-26


"What do you see, Rachell" murmure
low, sweet voice; you have been lookin
that way very earnestly for the last tie
minutes" 1909 @
The speaker, woman apparently on Il
sunny side of forty, was AN Elder Sister
the Society Of Shakers. She wore the Coz
tune peculiar to the females of that sect,
plain, homespun dress, which, though it Ter
no flowing grace Of outline to her figure, wa
faultlessly neat; pair of cumbrous, high
heeled, cloth shoes, that, despite their quaiu
and uncouth fashion, could not quite concea
the shapely feet they encased, and an ampl
kerchief, white as new-fallen snow, smooth
folded over her breast, while her face gleame
out pale and passionless from the transparer
border of the close little cap, which left onl
a narrow band of brown hair visible abov
her low, fair brow.
She was sitting in the best room of IL
Trustees Office of the "Church Family" an
busily plying her needle but as she asked thi
question, she glided with the characteristic
Shaker step to the window where Rache
Lee sat.
"What is it-any grand visitors coming 7?
she said, leaning over Rachel's chair to loo
out.
Nay, not that, by any meaps," repliet
the other; 4" l rather think they're some poo
folks with iyy-leaves to SELL"
Mary Reed stood gazing forth for some min
utes. At, the foot Of the bold and beautllu
Canterbury Hill, crowned by the Shaker Vii
lage FIVE roads. winding up through field, ant
meadow, and woodland, with many sinuoui
curve, intersect each other, and at the plac
where they meet, there is a huge granite ba
sin, filled to the brim with water, bubhliut
with perpetual flow and pleasant, dreamy
murmur, from some never.fai!ing spring
That fair fountain of the hills-how vividly
it rises in memory now-clear as crystal, cool
or than Oriental sherbet, more delicious ant
lfe-giving than the richest blood of the grape
Or the mythic nectar Of the gods. The cattle
rs they come lowing down from the far greer
pastures at eyentide, drink there long, eager
ly; the painting horse Of the traveller slake!
his thirst in that pure tide, and the tired ant
foot-sore vagabond stops there for refresh
ing draught.
On the brink Of this gray basin crouche(
the two persons who had attracted the atten
ton of the quiet Shaker sisters, but SOME
thing called them away, and they thought n:
more about the incident that afternoon.
1t was q chill, drizz'y day in spring; The
yeung leaves shivered in tie keen north-e cas-
vino, the tender blades Of grass bent aut
swayed under their burden Of rain drops, ant
not single break in the clouds gave glimps,
of blue ether or golden sunshine. Nigh,
closed drearily in, and the glow of the village
lights shone ipvitingly through the gloom, bu
still the two strangers fingered by the well
The younger, a girl Of twelve summers, ner
haps, seemed restless she often dipped uptht
water in her palm and dashed it over hel
forehead, or pressed tue cold, damp bent
against it with wild gesture; but the elder
a tall, thin, shadowy woman, sat with o
strange, unnatural stoici>m, gazeag mute an;
fearless on the dim woods behind, the inani
mate finger Of the guide-post, and the s.na!!
Shaker settlement On the hill.
another, mother" cried the girl, petulant
ly, don't st,y here any longer! 1t is very
dark, and am so tired, so cold I" Twenty
times she had said the same thing, but il
seemed as if the woman were deaf as well as
dumb, for the great palsy Of grief had locked
all her senses. Now, however, She looked
round like one awaking from nightmare.
ooh, Bessie, my child" she murmured
"I had forgotten even you We cannot stay
here, we must 60 on!' She seized the girls
hand ia a vice-like grasp. and the two toiled
YEARLY up the hill. Summoning all the
strength of which she was mistress, the wo-
man raped at the first door Of the Trustees
office. 1t was Mary Reed who opened it, and
stood looking in wonder at the strangers, with
the light of the candle in her hand shining
full upon them. Such face as that of The
woman, the Shaker sister had never before
seen; thin and wan even to ghastiliness, with
deep lines furrowiug the high, pale brow, and
lips tremulous from some hidden pain
parched and discolored with the secret cankeI
gnawing into the heavy heart beneath, and
crest, dark eyes full OF wild, uncertain light
SIS this hotel where | can stop till morn
ing, at least r. she asked, wistfuly.
"Oh, nayn said Mary Reed "there's one
two miles beyond at Hills Corner"
1.-TWO miles e. echoed the woman. .Good
God should die before l could get there
heard this was the Shaker Village"
I" Yea, so it is" replied Mary; but il you
knew our customs you would be aware thai
we don't keep tavern"
"Iam stranger in a strange land" fal
tered the woman; "a refugee from homo
darker than any graveyard. They told Inc
people who were wrecked in hope, faith, for
tune, everything, sometimes came here! Will
you take me in ?"
"Yea," said Mary Reed, thoaghtfully
eve will feed and lodge you tonight"
81 don't want food or aims Of any kind
I'm not beggar-Pm broken hearted wo
man Pm wretched, forlorn, weary-wearJ
in body and in sonl Iwaut rest!"
She spoke wildly, and Mary Reed drew he
and thu child into the house, and shutting th'
door, led them into the room where she aut
Rachel Lee were sitting, when we first intro
duced them to the reader. The woman SAM
listessly into chair, and closed her eyes a
if in extreme exhaustion, but the child staret
around in girlish wonder. Very strange die
that apartment seem to the city bred child
no rich paper covered the walls; no damaSl
drapery sweeping down from elaborate cor
nice work, mufled the windows; no soft AK
minister spread out beneath her feet; no pol
ished CRATE and marble hearth glowed warn
and red in the light Of the blazing Lenigh.
But there was not single stain on th'
white-washed ceiling; the painted floor shon
like mirror, save where, round the close
box store, lay homcspun carpet Of sonbr'
hucs; plain chairs stood here and there, an'
beside each of the three windows was pc
culiar kind of sewing-stand, furnished Wit
spool-frames, pin cushions, scissors, and al
the paraphernalia needed by seamstress.
While the child was gazing on this move
scene, Mary Reed had glided from the room
but she soon came back with glass oil cur
rant wine in her hand.
"Drink this" she said to the weary strang
er; it mag revive you"
The woman drank it mechanically, but tn
draught did not seem to refresh her much
her eycids still dropped over the troubles
orbs beneath, and her head rested languidi
"Your clothes arc wet," continued Mary