Year: 1870

"most straitest sect" and to return to the


world from which her mother had stolen


her.


Each day at the Shaker village was a twin


to every other. The spell of the Lotus


Eaters was upon us; we had come unto


land in which it seemed always after


noon," and we delayed week after week,


until Mary's school was about to begin, and
| Judge Clifton insisted on the return Of his
family.


On the last evening we had planned a
sail on the pond, and Mrs. Clifton showed


actual pleasure in the idea but at the last
| moment she pleaded headache and stayed


behind.


Mary would have remained to charm it
away, but was repulsed almost coldly We


stayed late, fascinated by the starlit water
we could talk freely there, while everywhere
else on Shaker ground hidden ear seemed
to be lying in wait for every word


When Mary went up to her room, which
opened in that of Mrs. Clifton. she heard the
baby sobbing and moaning in way that
babies have when worn out with crying.


She listened q moment. but the sound con-
tinued, and thinking Diana must be sleeping
heavily, she stole into the room. The nurse
had returned to Weston the week before
with Nellie Clifton, leaving the baby in its
| mothers care. The bed bore no marks of
having been used by Diana, and the child
| was easily soothe6 in Mary's arms, She had
Iiser go book 70 iasr ozVn roam. $4fe1 stvps.
sounded in the passage; she recognized the
| peculiar tapping of the round 4heels with
which Shaker shoes are made, and as s2they
neared the door and paused, a fute-like
4 II,
| before:


"Be strong, and fear not. Help will he
given thee for thy first duty"
Then the door opened.and Diana came in
with light in her hand she was the most
impossible of women, but she started back
with stifled cry when she met Mary face
TO face.
80 Diana, where have you been n said
Mary, hurried into the most awkward of
questions by the surprise.
"My headache grew so much worse here,
that went down for something to relieve
it," said Diana in faint voice, condcscend-
ing to equivocate for the first time in her
life.


Mary stood irresolute, casting about des-
perately in her mind for some wise saying,
which might restore the old confidence be-
tween them.


"Don't let me detain you,n said Diana,
coldiy; my head is better, and shall not
leave the baby again. Good night"


Thus dismissed, Mary went to her bed;
but sleep was impossible. A dim fore
boding of evil to come from Diana's con-
tact with the unnatural influences of Shak-
erdom. which had been growing in her
mind, now took color and shape.


Sister Lois had early perceived her dis
like to her intimacy with Diana, and it
had seemed to cease entirely during the last
half of our stay.


Mary's suspicious had been almost shamed
by the calm dignity of Sister Lois Her
first impulse was 10 confde her fears to
Judge Clifton but her. natural delicacy
made her dread meddling in matter
which affected the husband and wife alone.


We 90 Tomorrow" she thought, and
if Diana goes with us, all will be well.n


Next day Judge Clifton drove us all to
Weston, and the parting between Sister
Louis and Diana was that of strangers met
for day. We only noticed that Diana
turned the conversation skillfully when it
touched on the peculiar customs of the
community we had just left.


Within week from that time Mrs. Cliff
ton disappeared from her home as suddenly
and completely as if the earth had closed
over her, and her husbands face had not
altered hairs breadth from the hard COM
posure it had worn ever after his marriage.


Mary Sumner behaved like enc distraught
for day or two, and then quietly let it be
known that Mrs. Clifton had left hes family
to live with the Shakers. She was to have
an allowance for her support, and at the
end of a year, if she repented her choice,
she might return to the world; if otherwise,
she would join herself permanently to the
society all this with her husbands full
consent. And at this aggravating point
Mary put thus far and no farther"


II shall not put you off like the rest"
she said to me. You know Diana's coming
home with us made my mind easy. 1
thought she would have remained there
then, if she had meant to join the commu-
nifty; but Sister Lois understands her busi-
ness better If Nellie Clifton had stayed
to the last. Diana would not have come
aH ay at ALL"


"How can you be certain of that2n
said, surprised at her intimate knowledge.


"She told me SO herself. The first court
day Judge Clifton gave a dinner to some
old friends at the hotel; it was to be late
sitting, and Dina choose that night to go
away. 1 had stayed late in my school
room, and it was fully nine as crossed the
street where the Cliftons live l had to
wait a moment for a carriage to turn the
corner. 1t looked like homemade farm
wagon with three seats and drawn by
pair of heavy horses. A man was driving
and two women sat on the back seat
"All at once it flashed upon me that the
Shakers use such a wagon on market days;
and while watched on the corner it stopped
at Dianas door.


"When reached it one woman was sit
ting still in the wagon; but l felt sure
three mad been two. The man stood guard
on the doorstep, but rushed in too sud-
denly for him to stop me, and was in Diana,s
room in time TO hear the door bell, which
he touched by way of warning. Sister Lois
met me with look which was anything
but Christian. was too breathless to speak,
and could only look on while she put some
iewelry carefully into box, and the box
into d trunk which stood open beside her,
before she uttered word. Diana certainly
would not need such gauds in her new po-
sition; but all is fish that comes to her
Shaker net.


"She waited a moment longer In her uii-
shaken GOODNESS, as if inclined after all to
take no notice of me-"


II made step toward the inner room,
and she spoke, to arrest me. is it your
habit, Miss Sumner, to rush into your friends
houses in this breathless way9' and the
straight-robed Shakeress seemed to magnify
into some naughty woman of the world, ac-
customed TO question and command.
"She understood my temperament per-
fectly, for have not grain of self-asser-
tion when one takes that tone with me- She
pointed to the door, and 1 believe should
have gone away utterly cresttallen had not
Nellie heard my step and ran into my arms
from the inner room.


go Auntie, Auntier was her joyful cry.
~ am so glad you have come. That woman
says we are only going to drive; but 1 know
better; she means to take me to Shaker Vii
lage, and dress me like Dorcas-her little
girl, you know


Her words brought hot flush into Sis
ter Lois's face for the second time, and broke
| the spell she had wrought on me.
Diana came to the door in bonnet and
shawl, with the baby in her arms, ready
dressed for the night ride.


| 81" At sight of me she looked as if she
would fall; but Sister Lois caught her and
drew her back into the bedroom. She spoke
very low, but SO distinctly that Iheard cvery
word. / can't think how she came here at
this time: but don't notice her. I'm afraid
we must leave the children. lam sorry that
you did not remain when you were with u.s.


"This betrayal of her plan filled me with
hopes OF saving her children. Sister Lois
came out immediately, and, locking the
trunk, called TO the man below to carry it
| down.


9 Her manner was something wonderful :;


it almost convinced me that she was doing


her duty, while l must be meddling in other