Yee, so we be! We sowed more'n usual so's to keep the two 'jiners' at
work long's we could.--Take that scythe over to the barn, Jacob, an'
fetch me another, an' step spry."

"What's a jiner, Ansel?"

"Winter Shakers, I call 'em. They're reg'lar constitooshanal
dyed-in-the-wool jiners, jinin' most anything an' hookin' on most
anywheres. They jine when it comes on too cold to sleep outdoors, an'
they onjine when it comes on spring. Elder Gray's always hopin' to
gather in new souls, so he gives the best of 'em a few months' trial.
How are ye, Hannah?" he called to a Sister passing through the orchard
to search for any possible green apples under the trees. "Make us a good
old-fashioned deep-dish pandowdy an' we'll all do our best to eat it!"

"I suppose the 'jiners' get discouraged and fear they can't keep up to
the standard. Not everybody is good enough to lead a self-denying
Shaker life," said Susanna, pushing back the close sunbonnet from her
warm face, which had grown younger, smoother, and sweeter in the last
few weeks.

"Nay, I s'pose likely; 'less they're same as me, a born Shaker," Ansel
replied. "I don't hanker after strong drink; don't like tobaccer (always
could keep my temper 'thout smokin'), ain't partic'lar 'bout
meat-eatin', don't keer 'bout heapin' up riches, can't 'stand the ways
o' worldly women-folks, jest as lives confess my sins to the Elder as
not, 'cause I hain't sinned any to amount to anything sence I made my
first confession; there I be, a natural follerer o' Mother Ann Lee."

Susanna drew her Shaker bonnet forward over her eyes and turned her back
to Brother Ansel under the pretense of reaching over to the rows of
sweet marjoram. She had never supposed it possible that she could laugh
again, and indeed she seldom felt like it, but Ansel's interpretations
of Shaker doctrine were almost too much for her latent sense of humor.

"What _are_ you smiling at, and me so sad, Mardie?" quavered Sue,
piteously, from the little plot of easy weeding her mother had given her
to do. "I keep remembering my game! It was such a _Christian_ game, too.
Lots nicer than Mother Ann in prison; for Jane said her mother and
father was both Believers, and nobody was good enough to pour milk
through the key-hole but her. I wanted to give the clothes-pins story
names, like Hilda and Percy, but I called them Adam and Eve and Cain and
Abel just because I thought the Shakers would 'specially like a Bible
play. I love Elde