Year: 1865

glass 3..RQkfgt W2r3 pas tery nao sne ever
heard ; never had that CONSCIENTIOUS Quaker
mother ever even said the word "becoming"
in her presence. When clothes were bought
it was with the remark, "That gown is ne
longer fit for thee to wear to meetings" or,
"The weather is so cold, thee must have a
warmer bonnet.


To be sure there was always much discus
sion about the fneness of the fabric, and great
anxiety lest thing should be Of poor quality;
but the cloak of economy was thrown over
this, and the touch Of pride and vanity kept
quite out Of sight.


So, week after week, first day found Bessy
at meeting; second day, busy with household
affairs, while her mother superintended the
washing third day, ironing; fourth day,
baking; and so on, till the seven we recount
ed. But always with all housework done by
two, and plenty of time to visit plenty of girl
Friends, who in turn visit her, with Knitting
work, and we mt home before nine Very no
table was Bessy Prout, and very dutitnl and
very kind to every one, high or low She
would have been a modern miracle had she
not been Quakeress. Looking at her with
worlds peoples eyes, you would have fan
cied her seventeen. In reality, she was twen-
ty-four.' TweDty-four and not married. Had
you asked Friend Hannah Prout why, she
would have said, "My daughter does not yet
bake bread as could wish, and I cannot allow
her to'marry until that is well learnt" This
was the fact, as far as her parents we're con-
cerned; for herself, she had yet no fancy, or
hope, or wish on the subject. It was fe-
male Friends duty to marry some time, she
knew When that time came she should be
ready.


Young men who saw Bessv at meeting, or
at home, or in her fathers store, were not SO
calmly ind ffeerTeRt. More than one Quaker
youth, with pleasant appreciation OF Bessy's
beauty and thrifty consideration of her faith
er's wealth, were like Barkis, E'willing" But
on none of them did the paternal eye fall
with favor. Ephraim Prout and his wife
Hannah had already selected husband for
their child That husband to be was one Peter
Potter, a widower of forty, who talked, and
occasionally preached, through his extremely
long nose who hadfour children and owned
three blocks of Arch st. property squares"
in the parlance Of the Phiiadelphians-and
was reported to have million of money out
ut interest. Verify, the placid breast of
an elderly Friend is open to one temptation
He does love money. He cannot respect the
man who does not make any. When he sees
it, he would not steal it, nor murder for its
sake nor would he lie. .squarely out and out ;
but he will contrive to possess it if possible,
and will hold it when he gets 1t. Ephralm
was good man, but in his heart he coveted
Friend Peters money, and the only way to
have it in the family was to let him marry
Bessy The two had spoken on the subject,
and Friend Hannah consented as soon as
Bessy's loaves should be faultless


Bessy had not been consulted. She knew
Friend Peter came every first day to tea
She knew he talked much of the dreariness
of home without wife. Often she acqui
esced in the maternal opinion that Friend
Peter was worshy man. And, probably
she would have as calmly acquiesced in the
opinion that he was the proper husband to
select when the tme came, but for ope un-
lucky circumstance About the middle of
December, just when Bessies loaves were be-
ginning to merit approval, Selma Grief was
married. After passing meeting, and going
through the other ceremonies, the new-made
couple gave a house warming; and thither,
of course, went Bessy; Bessy's mother and
father and Friend Peter.


Thither also came young man of the
wvd' S people; one Mr.. John Hubbard
who wore a black coat, blue cravat, a pair
of patent-leather boots and a stove pipe hat !;
and who. was regarded by the youthful
Friends with feelings of mingled admiration
and terror; as fascinating Hottentot or
gentlemanly South Sea Islander might be in