the privations which attended the first year in America.
Another passenger on the Mayflower was Priscilla Mullins, daughter of
William Mullins, a maiden of unusual beauty, just blooming into
womanhood. The gallant widower fell in love with Priscilla, but for some
reason which does not clearly appear, but probably bashfulness, he sent
another to do his courting. Standish himself was about thirty-seven years
of age, and doubtless showed the effect of his hard service in the wars.
Nevertheless, he might have won Priscilla had he gone for her in person,
for, as the military leader of the colony, beset as it was by savages who
might at any time become hostile, he was a man of importance and
desirable for a son-in-law. He made the mistake of choosing as Cupid's
messenger a handsome young man named John Alden, a cooper from
Southampton, with whom Priscilla was already well acquainted, and with
whom she had quite possibly whiled away many hours of the wearisome three
months' voyage from old Plymouth. Alden and Priscilla may have been in
love with each other already, when Captain Standish sent the youth on his
embarrassing mission. Even the rigid rules of Puritanism could not
prevent young men and women from falling in love, while their elders were
engaged in more sedate occupations. It is to be said for Standish, also,
that he evidently did not intend that the young man should state the case
to Priscilla, but only to her father. The parent promptly gave his
consent, but added that "Priscilla must be consulted." The maiden was
called into the room, and a brighter light dawned in her eyes, and a
ruddier flush suffused her cheeks, as her gaze met that of the handsome
young cooper. John Alden, too, could not remain unaffected, as he
repeated his message to the fair young woman, into whose ears he had
probably poured sweet nothings many a time while they dreamed, perhaps,
of the day when more serious words would be spoken. Priscilla asked why
Captain Standish had not come himself. Alden replied that the Captain was
too busy. This naturally made the maiden indignant, for she was justified
in assuming that no business could be more important than that of asking
for her hand. It is also possible that she was glad of an excuse for
rejecting the proffered honor. She declared that she would never marry a
man who was too busy to court her, adding, in the words of Longfellow:

"Had he waited awhile, had only showed that he loved me,