Eli Mitchenor was at peace with himself and the world--that is, so
much of the world as he acknowledged. Beyond the community of his
own sect, and a few personal friends who were privileged to live on
its borders, he neither knew nor cared to know much more of the
human race than if it belonged to a planet farther from the sun.
In the discipline of the Friends he was perfect; he was privileged
to sit on the high seats, with the elders of the Society; and the
travelling brethren from other States, who visited Bucks County,
invariably blessed his house with a family-meeting. His farm was
one of the best on the banks of the Neshaminy, and he also enjoyed
the annual interest of a few thousand dollars, carefully secured by
mortgages on real estate. His wife, Abigail, kept even pace with
him in the consideration she enjoyed within the limits of the sect;
and his two children, Moses and Asenath, vindicated the paternal
training by the strictest sobriety of dress and conduct. Moses
wore the plain coat, even when his ways led him among "the world's
people;" and Asenath had never been known to wear, or to express a
desire for, a ribbon of a brighter tint than brown or fawn-color.
Pages:
303
304
305
306
307
308
309
310
311
312
313
314
315
316
317
318
319
320
321
322
323
324
325
326
327