Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1868-02-26
CHAPTERII.
"'Twero idle toreIl -mber now,


.MTwere idle to.reIl -mber now,
Had the heart, my thwarted schemes;
/ bear beneath this altered brow
The ashes Of thousand dreams;
os Some wrought of wild Ambitions fingers,
Some colored of Loves pencil wen.%'- Wttt's.
Morning brokein brightness and beauty.
No storm-clouds hung dark and sullen in the
sky, no keen blast chilled the opening hearts
of the spring flowers. Sunshine lay warm on
the broad fields of the Shaker settlement, and
shot tremblingly through the boughs of the
orchard trees, and a soft wind sweeping up
from the south famed the brown cheek ofth-
plough-boy and made pleasant music among
the green foliage.
At day. break Mary Reed was astir. Her
first thought was of the strangers she had
taken in the evening previous, and she stole
noiselessly into their chamber. Just as she
crossed the threshold, a lowrgroan fell upon
her ear, and the woman started wildly in some
painful dream. Richard" she muttered,
Richard-you need not say q, word-l-l
know all Leave mc-leave me-let me
rest Then the emacated arms which she
had been wreathing aloft, dropped heavily on
the coverlet, her lips grew stern in'ther COM
preston, and her sleep became little more
quiet. The Shakeress withdrew in silence,
but as soon as the morning meal was over
and her most pressing duties performed, she
went back to the room occupied by her
guests. As she entered, she saw that the
woman had risen and was standing by the
window. Beneath her was the Shaker vii
lage, with its neat and substantial houses, its
wellkept walks, its trim-fences and its white
church, without spire or pretension of any
kind, but somewhat apart from tue rest, and
surrounded by simple paling and smooth
green. sward. Beyond these, her eye could
trace the silvcry windings Of mountain streams,
the outline Of noble forests and many rood
Of fertile land, while farther Oft, rose range on
range orhllS, some brown, and feckered with
white groups Of sheep and cattle that seemed
like specks in the dim distance some purple,
and some blue as the sky which bent over
them, and crowned with snow.
"TLen you arc up" said Mary, moving to
the womans side.
les," she answered =" couldn;t-lie any
longer, bul Bessie, poor child, sleeps soundIy
yet" :.
"And how do you like here 2" continued
the Shakcrcss.
"oh, the prospect is lovely" rojoincd the
woman, "and it looks very peaceful, too."
"Yea," said Mary; "and now you can put
on your own clothes and go on, or Keep ours
and be one Of US. Do you really think Of
joining our Society,""
81 wish to remain that is, for the present,
was the quick reply; " but know nothing
of your requirements never heard Of you
till month ago"
"You would understand our faith better by
talking with some of the Elders and reading
our Sacred Rrl," said Mary.
"No, no, never could have patience with
dogmas OF any kind,' rejoincd her compan-
ion, impatiently; I" but what are your GUS
toms? Can you tell me in few words p
"Oh yea said the Shakeress "we don't
conform TO tie iasbions r pleasures of the
worlds people; we work diligently; we
neither marry nor are given in marriage"
"IIa !" interrupted the stranger; that is
best of all it is just what | want to hear.
Listen moment misplaced love has been
the bane of my life" She paused, and
deeper shadow settled over her face bu! after
a brief hcsitancy, she went on: " / know by
bitter experience that an unhappy marriage
is living death From such a fate mean
to sLeld my Bessie. Look 1t her!' and she
hurried TO the low bed, where the child still
lay asleep. "She will grow up a beauty
added her mother, land if she is not kept in
seclusion she will be much sought after. She
may be wooed and won by somebody as faS-
and false as her father-may suffer
as have. If she becomes -Shakeress, she
will not be exposed to these influences that
thought is sufficient TO bring me to quick
decision aud then we are homeless, friendless
what could We do alone? Yes, am ready
to Join your Society any day, any hour"
"Well," said Mary, 81 will make your
wish known to the Elders. What is your
name?"
The woma6 started nervously.
"Call me Margaret Percival," she at length
said {" have cast off his name with my old
garments"
sand the chid?" queried Mary.
"She shall lay it aside, toe" replied the
woman her father is very fond of her, and
should be by any means find out where We
are, he would move Heaven and earth to car
ry her back. 1t will be safer to drop even her
pet name Bessie; she must be Elizabeth Per-
cival, henceforth."
At this iuncture the child awokc and gazed
with an cir of bewilderment around the
chamber. Her eyes filled with tears as the
events of the previous day and night came
crowding thick and fas! upon her, but size
would not let them fall when she saw how
haggard her mother looked in the morning
light. Her simple toilet was soon made, and
she went down stairs with quick, firm step.
After breakfast one of tho Shaker sisters took
her out to sec the poultry and various other
wonders, so that two or three hours passed
less drcarily than she had feared. But ia the
afternoon, great trial came. She was sit
ting with her mother in the room where they
had slept, when an Elderess stole softly in.
"Margaret Percival, suppose" she said,
nodding to the stranger, "well, am Sarah
Wellsgwe don't say Mr., Mrs. and Miss, like
the worlds people, as you perhaps, have al
ready noticed. Mary Reed told me you had
a complete Shaker suit with the exception OF
cap, and so l brought you three or, four
you'll find one to fit you among them."
ooh mother" cried Bessie, "you can't
wear those, they wouldn't half cover your
beautiful hair"
"If you mean to stay with US" interposed
the Ederess, you must conform to our Gus
toms. Your hair must be cut off it might
ministerto pride to keep it long"
Margaret Percval's wan cheek grew Grim
son. and there was strange tremor in her
frame, as she removed her comb and shook
down her glossy tresses.
"I never was handsome" she murmured,
family; but used to be proud Of my hnir, and
he, Richard, wnen we were happy, used to be
proud OF it, too. But that is all over l
might as well part. withit."
Still she sat drawing its shining lengths