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Susanna lifted Eldress Abby's latch and stood in her strong, patient presence; then all at once she knelt impulsively and looked up into her serene eyes. "Do you come as a Believer, Susanna?" tremblingly asked the Eldress. "No, Eldress Abby. I come as a child of the world who wants to go back to her duty, and hopes to do it better than she ever did before.
This man, James Anson Drane, of Lexington, lawyer and land agent, notwithstanding Dudley's jealous fancies, divided his attentions almost equally between the two damsels, and seemed quite as content with Betsy's lively sallies as with Abby's gentler, more dignified conversation.
James prayed in their presence for their renewal in holiness; and urged their im- mediate attention to eternal realities, and gained a promise that Susan and Charlie should share their kindest regards. No sooner were they on their way, than Nig slyly crept round to Aunt Abby's room, and tip- toeing and twisting herself into all shapes, she exclaimed,
Abby's mother would whip her with a big stick, and say, "there, now; what made you go behind the trees, and let that little Parlin girl lose herself, and get ate up! I don't think you're very polite, you naughty girl!" O, how everybody would cry! But what was that little funny thing on the water?
A year later, when Abby Kelley Foster and her husband Stephen spoke at antislavery meetings in Rochester, Susan had her first opportunity to meet this fearless woman. Listening to Abby's speeches and watching the play of emotion on her eager Irish face under the Quaker bonnet, Susan wondered if she would ever have the courage to follow her example.
Aunt Abby paid it willingly enough, and with Fibsy, took her departure. On reaching home they found Alvord Hendricks there. Mason Elliott had tarried and Fleming Stone, too, was still there. Eunice was awaiting Aunt Abby's return to have dinner served. "I thought you'd never come, Auntie," said Eunice, greeting her warmly.
"They have a big music-piece with ivory keys, and Miss Abby's teaching Betsy to play on it," said Susan, forgetting her shyness, and her blue eyes shining at the recollection of this wonder. "Yes, it's all mighty fine, an' I'm shore I don't begrudge any uv it: an' now thet Miss Abby hez come to live thar an' Betsy's gittin' to be a big gal, things is bettah looked aftah," Mrs. Rogers conceded.
But not for Abby's hands would she have given up a single hour when she had washed Jenny's little flannels or dug enchanted garden beds with Harry's miniature trowel. "She used to have a beautiful figure," she said with perfect sincerity. "Well, she's got it still, though she's a trifle too large for my taste.
But Abby had been in the habit of spoiling her sister, who had a theory that she was never able to do anything early in the morning, and so it was much more considerate for her to stay in bed and keep out of Abby's way. This is a comfortable theory.
Sure enough the two heroes of the day were walking toward the Hendricks car, which, still standing near the scene of Hanlon's triumph, awaited a good chance for a getaway. "I wonder if you ladies wouldn't like to meet this marvel," began Mr. Mortimer, genially, and Aunt Abby's delight was convincing, indeed. Eunice, too, greeted Mr. Hanlon cordially, and Hendricks held out a welcoming hand.
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