The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1891-03-21
SISTER PHGBE'S WEDDING.

plettieSl Vi dill )lilh VI w Hol hho"
whether fashion has named it or
noD, sometimes found in the deli
cate withered cheek of an old per-
son. The shine OF her dark eyes
was dimmed and softened by age.
She had lived Quaker all her lite,
and the peace and serenity Of that
most honest and true religion was in
every word and action.
Her life had been long, and event
tul in a certain way for she was
born sometime in 1892 or 5, on the
bit Of sea coast in New Hampshire,
and when she was eighteen she mar
ried, and migrated with her young
husband into the bowling wilderness
OF Western New. York.
In my childhood, | grew cold
with horror at the thrilling stories
she told me OF panthers crying like
lost children, to decoy people from
their homes and bears, numerous
enough and bold enough to be al
most on visiting terms with the
family ; but as l grew older, the
story that pleased me most was that
other sisters wedding, come
ly oldest sister Phebe," whom the
Quakers almost disciplined for her
curly hair. Her marriage came as
near being joke as was possible in
a Quaker community.
The courtship was probably ordi-
nary, as tradition preserved none of
it; but with the business prelimi-
naries come trouble, the first of
course being "the asking" of
Phebe's father.
Reuben Hoag was nice young
man, and felt tolerably confident of
the success of his mission ; but at
the best, it was a terrible ordeal,
and he was a very bashful young
man, especially before his "betters'
so when he approached the field
where Phebe's father was plough
ing, his courage oozed out com
pletely, and he grew confused and
uncertain.
He stood resting his hand on a
big stump with exposed roots, until
the old gentleman came up and in
quired kindly, "Can | serve thee in
any way to-day, friend Reuben ?"
Then was he bereft of all reason,
and jumped over one OF the big
stump roots, then another, until he
had encircled the stump, calculating |
explosively as he went, Friend
Jonathan, will thee-bestow thy |
daughter Phoebe-upon-me in
marriage ?" Then he redoubled his
speed, and fairly flew around the
stump. Without the quiver of a
the old Quaker answered,
ayes, friend Reuben, thee may have
her, but thee will tire thyself with
that unseemly exercise" Then
Reuben, brought to his senses, skunk
shamefacedly away. Unfortunately,
a young Friend had witnessed the
scene and for many a day there was
never gathering Of young people
which was not enlivened by re-
hearsal OF "Reuben's asking"
The next step was the 'passing
of the meeting" committee being
chosen from among the exemplary
men and women of the church to
inquire into the past life and conduct
of the contracting parties,-to find
if there was any just cause why they
should not be joined in the holy
bonds of matrimony. When the
committee met to report on Reuben
and Phoebe, there was a serious
complaint entered against Reuben
he was ''irreverent and ungodly,
sport of old age" The
complaint was brought by an old
lady, Liddy Fish by name, and SO
she was brought before the commit
tee to testify.
cit was three years or better since
it happened" She was sitting on
the steps of her own house, eating
blackberries out OF a trencher, when
the ungodly youth passed and
Knocked at her, crying
so Liddy Fish, Liddy Fish
Eating blackberries out of a wooden
DISH
"And was that all ?" asked one of
the elders.
wasn't thst enough - retorted
Liddy, Indignantly.
The committee thought it was not
sufficient TO debar him from matri-
mony, and departed with decided
twinkle in their eyes.
The story went about, and served
still further to enliven the young
people, until Reuben announced one
day that he could beat that. AS the
Quakers have no ordained ministers,
they marry themselves by repeating |
a certain established formula before
the meeting.
when Phoebe and l are mar
ried," said Reuben, 81 shall say
eff the Lord permit.
And the friends think fit.
PH have Phoebe before | quit"
There was a shout of merriment,
and the irreverent doggerel was
whispered all over the community,
and enjoyed immensely by the de-
mure lads and lassies but of
course vigorously guarded from the
hearing of the elder "Friends."
The marriage was set for yearly
meeting in June, and great grand
father Gould, who was we'll to- do,
and took great though secret pride
in Phoebe's shining curls and she'll
pink cheeks, made a voyage up to