other and then at me. At last an elderly and substantial Friend, with
a face so flushed and round as to suggest a Baldwin apple, arose and
creaked with painful distinctness to where I was innocently infringing
on one of their customs.

"If thee will follow me, friend," he said, "I'll give thee a seat with
the men folks. Thee's welcome, and thee'll feel more at home to follow
our ways."

His cordial grasp of my hand would have disarmed suspicion itself, and
I followed him meekly. In my embarrassment and desire to show that I
had no wish to appear forward, I persisted in taking a side seat next
to the wall, and quite near the door; for my guide, in order to show
his goodwill and to atone for what might seem rudeness, was bent on
marshalling me almost up to the high seats that faced the
congregation, where sat my rubicund old Friend lady, whose aspect
betokened that she had just the Gospel message I needed.

I at once noted that these staid and decorous people looked straight
before them in an attitude of quiet expectancy. A few little children
turned on me their round, curious eyes, but no one else stared at the
blundering stranger, whose modish coat, with a sprig of wild roses in
its buttonhole, made him rather a conspicuous contrast to the other
men folk, and I thought--

"Here certainly is an example of good-breeding which could scarcely be
found among other Christians. If one of these Friends should appear in
the most fashionable church on the Avenue, he would be well stared at,
but here even the children are receiving admonitory nudges not to look
at me."