Whittiers Complete Poems, vol 5 | Page 8

which thou persecutest testifieth against thee and thy meeting."
Sir Thomas jestingly asked her if the spirit she spoke of was not such
an one as possessed Mary Magdalen.
"Or the swine of the Gadarenes?" asked Mr. Richardson.
I did smile with the others, but was presently sorry for it; for the young
maid answered not a word to this, but turning to Rebecca, she said,
"Thy father hath been hard with us, but thou seemest kind and gentle,
and I have heard of thy charities to the poor. The Lord keep thee, for
thou walkest in slippery places; there is danger, and thou seest it not;
thou trustest to the hearing of the ear and the seeing of the eye; the Lord
alone seeth the deceitfulness and the guile of man; and if thou wilt cry
mightily to Him, He can direct thee rightly."

Her voice and manner were very weighty and solemn. I felt an awe
come upon me, and Rebecca's countenance was troubled. As the
maiden left us, the minister, looking after said, "There is a deal of
poison under the fair outside of yonder vessel, which I fear is fitted for
destruction."
"Peggy Brewster is indeed under a delusion," answered Robert Pike,
"but I know no harm of her. She is kind to all, even to them who evil
entreat her."
"Robert, Robert!" cried the minister, "I fear me you will follow your
honored father, who has made himself of ill repute, by favoring these
people."--"The Quaker hath bewitched him with her bright eyes,
perhaps," quoth Sir Thomas. "I would she had laid a spell on an uncivil
tongue I wot of," answered Robert, angrily. Hereupon, Mr. Sewall
proposed that we should return, and in making ready and getting to the
boat, the matter was dropped.
NEWBURY, June 1, 1678.
To-day Sir Thomas took his leave of us, being about to go back to
Boston. Cousin Rebecca is, I can see, much taken with his outside
bravery and courtliness, yet she hath confessed to me that her sober
judgment doth greatly incline her towards her old friend and neighbor,
Robert Pike. She hath even said that she doubted not she could live a
quieter and happier life with him than with such an one as Sir Thomas;
and that the words of the Quaker maid, whom we met at the spring on
the river side, had disquieted her not a little, inasmuch as they did seem
to confirm her own fears and misgivings. But her fancy is so bedazzled
with the goodly show of her suitor, that I much fear he can have her for
the asking, especially as her father, to my knowledge, doth greatly
favor him. And, indeed, by reason of her gracious manner, witty and
pleasant discoursing, excellent breeding, and dignity, she would do no
discredit to the choice of one far higher than this young gentleman in
estate and rank.
June 10.

I went this morning with Rebecca to visit Elnathan Stone, a, young
neighbor, who has been lying sorely ill for a long time. He was a
playmate of my cousin when a boy, and was thought to be of great
promise as he grew up to manhood; but, engaging in the war with the
heathen, he was wounded and taken captive by them, and after much
suffering was brought back to his home a few months ago. On entering
the house where he lay, we found his mother, a careworn and sad
woman, spinning in the room by his bedside. A very great and bitter
sorrow was depicted on her features; it was the anxious, unreconciled,
and restless look of one who did feel herself tried beyond her patience,
and might not be comforted. For, as I learned, she was a poor widow,
who had seen her young daughter tomahawked by the Indians; and now
her only son, the hope of her old age, was on his death-bed. She
received us with small civility, telling Rebecca that it was all along of
the neglect of the men in authority that her son had got his death in the
wars, inasmuch as it was the want of suitable diet and clothing, rather
than his wounds, which had brought him into his present condition.
Now, as Uncle Rawson is one of the principal magistrates, my sweet
cousin knew that the poor afflicted creature meant to reproach him; but
her good heart did excuse and forgive the rudeness and distemper of
one whom the Lord had sorely chastened. So she spake kindly and
lovingly, and gave her sundry nice dainty fruits and comforting cordials,
which she had got from Boston for the sick man. Then, as she came to
his bedside, and took his hand lovingly in her own, he thanked her for
her many