The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1884-12-14
MISTRESS KEzIAH'S PRIDE
A Romnnco Of weUcsester County In tho
Times Of the Revolution.

the heat ana turmoil OF unique ana cSciting
canvass for the election OF n President. a gem
tleman withdrew from business In New York
civ to his farm In QUOT nook in upper West
chester county. Possessed not only OF the
tastes Of II ltterateur and anti1uary. bu, OF the
means of gratifying them. 1t was his delight to
srend his days in dolving into the traditions
with which that country so richly aoounds
Here the bosterous energy OF tho politicians
did not reach and the hustle OF tho world
seemed never to have penetrated.
Among other tales of older times that no
gathered was one that so greatly interested
him TINT he caused n permanent and visible
remembrance of 1t to be sst up. This was
plain marble shaft. placed In the village bury
ing ground. Mt the head of two mounds that
wind and rain and snow had almost levell,d to
the natural contour OF tho earth. On it'Sas
inscribed those words:
Sathan-Krziah.
Separated III me-
United IN death
Tho story which was thus commemorated
~as written out by the gentleman as folows
On one sweet-scented Sunday morning in
Juno. in tho year 177i. Pastor Matthews
preached TO the congregation assembled in tho
old brick church on Salem Hill a sermon than
which none OF his was more terrible. Tho
patriarch know his people we'll and 1t was his
way when there wero teinpests without to urge
upon his children the graces and the comforts
OF religion. but II the sun shono and the air
was waited into the church then fragrant with
bossomine clover or the perfume OF the flowers
on the fruit trees. the awful truths OF Calvin
were in arguments Of nithes and sixthlies
driven home with prodigious and dramatic
force.
On this day Pastor Matthews discoursed on
tbn ainful rf riJ MI a., oh atya hat
the farmers sat upright against the straight
backed pcws. nor did ono Of them sleep, while
the matrons hushed the children with bits of
dried and aromatic herbs. and with stern
frowns and pursuing of the lips that suggested
the word Hush" 1t was observed that now
and then the eyes of the preacher would rest
for some moments on Il pew Just beneath tho
high-pcrched pulpit. and that it was :hen in
his most powerful tones echoed down from the
massive sounding board. that he would deliver
awful warnings for those who lived in pride.
So. before the sermon was finished. tho con-
greGation. casting about to find that one to
whom the sermon had special application. and
being somewhat instructedby the glances from
Tie aHlpi.. fixed upon the young man who sat
within this pew as the sinner.
Yet the farmers could not feel that Nathan
Foster was without provocaton for his sin.
They remembered his splendid meadow land
that his cattle we're many and profitable. that
none of them had fields promising Of rich
harvests in the weeks near ut hand. and many
OF them had reason to know that Nathan was
ready to help neighbor who was in distress.
Nor could the mutrons lind it in their hearts
greatly to accuse him of such sin. He was well
favored; none of tho farmers thcreabout we're
so courteous and kind; he did not patronizc nor
cause annoyance by condescending manners
and without nattery. he yet was used to pay
those compliments to each that pleased her
most. Therefore. though the matrons knew
Nathan 20 be a man of pride. yet they were dis
posed to fcel annoyed at tho preacher for re-
miEding them OF 1t, more than disploasure
with Nathan for yielding to such snares OF the
evil one.
As for the maids. Nathan had offended none
OF them. for he had been most cautious and
impartial in such attentions as a handsome
fellow OF twenty-five or six is bound to show to
the maidens of his neighborhood. SO they too
were indignant. moro or less according to tho
nature Of each Of them, Mt the pastor. and they
couuctted with their thoughts as they cast fur
tive giances at this young man, who sat so
straight. with upitted eyes on the pulpit.
No wonder WAS it that no found favor in their
eyes Ho had u forehead smooth and white as
a childs. His cheeks. smooth shaven. were
bIoNiI. anu tuc COltOut VI HIS ldCc WAS
as sharply defined ms though cut by the keen
est chisel. His jet black hair was gathered
after the manner of that day. into a queue. SO
tall was he that his buff waistcoat was visible
over the pew top. and everybody know that his
sinewy legs were encased in black silk knee
breeches. with polished buttons at the knees
and that he wore black silk stockings and silver
buckles on his shoes.
Nathan il he was conscious OF the furtive
Gances that were sent his way. seemed not so
to be. He was. in fact. like men Of keen intel
lcct. holding silent disputation with the minis
ter. He had not the sightest suspicion that he
was tho chief sinner anon. them. His thought
was that in all that gloomy church there was no
one who dwelt moro IN pride and was less con-
sc!ous Of it than the preacher himself.
There came to Nathan's ear Il cry as OF cattle
in distress. and he turned toward the window
that he might look beyond. But his glance did
not stray 80 far. He encountered that which
stayed further wandering of his eyes-the dark
and handsome eyes of Mistress Kezah Hustled.
This maid sat with her father in ono OF the
square boxes which the architects Of that day
placed At the extremity OF churches. and from
which a profile view OF the preacher was OBJ
tanned. 1t was scat that afforded choice op-
portunity OF Glancing about the church. and so
it happened that for a longer time than she
had been aware Mistress Keziah had suffered
her eyes to rest on Nathan's features. That
she had droamily permitted maids blush
making thoughts to be stimulated by her OBJ
servation was beyond doubt, for the sudden
hess with which Nathan turned that way and
he plump square meeting OF eve to eye that
tolowed were all too quickly done for the exer-
else Of any OF the arts of concealment OF which
Mistress Keziah was as fully possessed as any
OF her mates The color ran n her neck q her