couraged them to read it;
if otherwise, she had a convenient way of _losing_ the book. In
November, when the trustees made their annual examination, the book
appeared upon the shelf, but the next day after it was again lost. At
this time Nantucket was a thriving, busy town. The whale-fishery was a
very profitable business, and the town was one of the wealthiest in the
State. There was a good deal of social and literary life. In a Friend's
family neither music nor dancing was allowed.

Mr. and Mrs. Mitchell were by no means narrow sectarians, but they
believed it to be best to conform to the rules of Friends as laid down
in the "Discipline." George Fox himself, the founder of the society, had
blown a blast against music, and especially instrumental music in
churches. It will be remembered that the Methodists have but recently
yielded to the popular demand in this respect, and have especially
favored congregational singing.

It is most likely that George Fox had no ear for music himself, and thus
entailed upon his followers an obligation from which they are but now
freeing themselves.

There was plenty of singing in the Mitchell family, and the parents
liked it, especially the father, who, when he sat down in the evening
with the children, would say, "Now sing something." But there could be
no instruction in singing; the children sang the songs that they picked
up from their playmates.

However, one of the daughters bought a piano, and Maria's purse opened
to help that cause along. It would not have been proper for Mr. Mitchell
to help pay for it, but he took a great interest in it, nevertheless. So
indeed did the mother, but she took care not to express herself
outwardly.

The piano was kept in a neighboring building not too far off to be heard
from the house. Maria had no ear for music herself, but she was always
to be depended upon to take the lead in an emergency, so the sisters put
their heads together and decided that the piano must be brought into the
house. When they had made all the preparations the father and mother
were invited to take tea with their married daughter, who lived in
another part of the town and had been let into the secret.

The piano was duly removed and placed in an upper room called the
"hall," where Mr. Mitchell kept the chronometers, where the family
sewing was done, and where the larger part of the books were kept,--a
beautiful room, overlooking "the square," and a great gathering-pl