arm, with a pretty odd farmhouse belonging thereto; and our
father lives with us, well content, and in great peace. For no
squabblings about ecclesiastical matters ever trouble the quiet of our
sweet mountain solitude. There is a little lonely church in the Dale,
where a good simple-hearted pastor ministers; and there can we worship
in a homely and hearty fashion; nor does the pastor take it ill that Mr.
Truelocke keeps aloof from the prayers, but respects his scruples, and
reveres his character. For proof thereof, I did not cease urging on
Harry his careless promise, that our union should have our father's
blessing on it; and the good pastor falling in with my whim, prevailed
on Mr. Truelocke to remarry us very privately in the little church I
spoke of, he himself assisting. 'Twas a foolish fancy, I wot, but I was
not easy till I had it gratified. And it is now my constant hope that
Harry will never put to sea again, but will be content to plough the
kindly earth and gather in her fruits, instead of furrowing the barren
cruel waves; sure he has had enough of strange adventures. Yet I fear
him sometimes, when little work is stirring; then he is so restless that
even in his dreams he will talk of seafaring; I think, however, he will
wander no more, so long as our father lives.

We get letters from Althea and her husband, at rare intervals indeed;
but then they are long and ample. And it is a marvel how stiffly Althea
now stands for all the points of the Quaker doctrine, which formerly she
so abhorred and contemned.

Not many days since there reached me a long letter from her, in which
she told me indeed a great deal of news, and also expressed a wonderful
sisterly affection; but the burden of it was her disquietude because of
my religious errors. She was very earnest with me upon the sin and
danger of conforming to the world, in dress, and speech, and deportment.

There were things in this letter which really troubled me, so I carried
it to Mr. Truelocke; and when he had read it, I asked his opinion,
whether Christian folk were bound to observe such strictness as Althea
now advocates and practises? at which, softly smiling, he said,--

'"Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To
visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself
unspotted from the world." I think thou art not far from exemplifying
that pure religion in thine own life, daughter; so I trust does thy
sister;