h-keeping rut. Resolving to do my best,
I prayed all week, for grace to keep the next Sabbath. I rose early that
trial-morning, prayed as soon as my eyes were open, read a chapter,
looked out into the beautiful morning, thought about God and
prayed--spent so much time praying, that Elizabeth had breakfast ready
when I went down stairs. While I ate it, I held my thoughts to the work
of the day, worshiping God; but many facts and fancies forced themselves
in and disturbed my pious meditations. After breakfast, I went back to
my room to continue my labor; but mother soon came and said:

"Do you intend to let Elizabeth do all the work?"

I dropped my roll of saintship, and went and washed the dishes. Had I
been taught that he who does any honest work serves God and follows
Christ, what a world of woe would have been spared me.

CHAPTER VII.

THE DELIVERER OF THE DARK NIGHT.--AGE, 19-21.

Quiltings furnished the principal amusement, and at these I was in
requisition, both for my expertness with the needle, and my skill in
laying out work; but as I had no brother to come for me, I usually went
home before the evening frolic, which consisted of plays. Male and
female partners went through the common quadrille figures, keeping time
to the music of their own voices, and making a denouement every few
moments by some man kissing some woman, perhaps in a dark hall, or some
woman kissing some man, or some man kissing all the women, or _vice
versa_. Elders and preachers often looked on in pious approbation, and
the church covered these sports with the mantle of her approval, but was
ready to excommunicate any one who should dance. Promiscuous dancing was
the fiery dragon which the church went out to slay. Only its death could
save her from a fit of choler which might be fatal, unless, indeed, the
dancing were sanctified by promiscuous kissing. If men and women danced
together without kissing, they were in immediate danger of eternal
damnation; but with plenty of kissing, and rude wrestling to overcome
the delicacy of women who objected to such desecration, the church gave
her blessing to the quadrille.

My protest against these plays had given offense, and I chose to avoid
them; but one evening the host begged me to remain, saying he would see
that I was not annoyed, and would himself take me home. The frolic was
only begun, when he came and asked permission to introduce a gentleman,
saying: "If you do not treat him well,