The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1870-06-10
Misfellaueous.
QUAKER QUIRKS.

When was In England. spent some
months In n large town, the name OF which
-as this sketch Is more than half true
had better keep to myself.
While there / contracted an intimate
friendship with an outwardly prim but in
wardly fin-loving and charming woman
of the Quaker persuasion, and deluded
her into many condolences concerning her
people.
Oh. what darling she was! Her wick.
cdly bright eyes were always sweetly cast
down and ovcrshadowed by the regulation
drab bonnet. The fun that was in her re'
ceivcd piquant. irresistible flavor, from
its solemn pePpering of thee and thou
in her utterance; and, except her own
family. her people were completely taken
in by the sanity gravity Of her Madonna
like face.
Thus. when knew her. she was an ex'
cmplary member Of the Society. II wa,
even born in upon the minds of some oI
the older Friend that some day Lydia I'm
dcrhill would have preaching-gift equaI
10 Abigail Shoctic. the then great gun-fem'
ininc of the meetings.
But Lydia fell from grace. and went
over to the camp of the alien. Sharp
prick,ngs of conscience force me to con-
stss, that the flesh AMI the devil, rs repro
sented in my person. led to this down
fall. / acknowledge that l did take n
vicious delight in displaying before her
longing. admiring gaze, the exquisite
worldly apparel which hal ordered from
Paris; and IL proved beyond the power ol
the feminine heart to withstand.
Her particular fall consisted Of lovely
round hat. with feathcr-tips Of rich
deep purple. The tips rested against the
crimpcd hair, which Lydia erimped eS-
pic>sly. with an effect, son, fresh. crushy,
such as only French modiste can give.
i am told that IL Is sitting upon hat that
does it; but il is very high art also. and
j would not recommend the experiment TO
any one less accomplished.
or course n costume of purple silk and
velvet accompanied the hat; and though
some foolish. ignorant msn-poct wrots
that Beauty unadornc,l Is adorned tn,
most" he only showed his horrible igno
rance; for Lydias beauty grew dazzling
and dangerous in this exquisite French
setting.
For Just wearing these simple things,
lydia Undcrhill was formally ''read out
of meeting" with signing and a sorrow
ing Of the good old broadbrim who did it,
which would have done honor 10 far
gravcr offence; and Immediately she be-
came. by q sort Of paradoSicsl sequence,
a ahigh-church EpiSoopalian. Quakers in
variably fall high-church Episcopalians;
will not some delinquent Friend kindly
explain and cxpound the why and the
wherefore?
hut long before this happened. Lydia
and I spent many pleasant hour togcth-
or. With unseliish sweetness. or perhaps
because OF innate dcprayity. she gave me
plenty of opportunities for gratifying my
uncivil propensity of watching for contra
dictory or startling points OF character
among her people. soon learned thai
net few Of these grave. undemonstrs'
tive Friends were kccnly alive To joke,
There was Lydia's father. n quiet stern.
looking man. He would sometimes utter
n remark. pondcrous. sombrc. the muscle,
of his face immovable, and slowly tee
ter;pr ON his toes and heels As he spoke.
In the depths Of my literal soul would
observe, IL Is getting truly solemn.
when catching an almost impcrceptible
twinkle in the stecly blue eyes beneath
the broadbrim. suddenly an intense fash
of fun would burst from under that sol
cmn rcmark; and. except the speaker. we
would all be convulsed with laughter.
One day asked Lydia II she could ge
mo an invitation To one OF her mother
tea-parties. II was then quarterly meet
ing. At quarterly meeting. Friends gath
er together In this wise A Friend. say
from York. comes To Bristol with all hi
family and their boxes. He has q righI
TO knock nj the door Of any Friends man
sion. and when IL Is opened TO him. he pro.