Brave Men and Women: Their Struggles, Failures, And TriumphsFuller, Osgood E. (Osgood Eaton)
History
Brave Men and Women: Their Struggles, Failures, And Triumphs
Fuller, Osgood E. (Osgood Eaton)
Biography
Two days after, when Elizabeth went to visit her patients, with a
sled-load of medicines and provisions, John asked permission to
accompany her. There, by the bedside of the aged and the suffering, she
saw the clear sincerity of his countenance warmed with rays of love,
while he spoke to them words of kindness and consolation; and then she
heard his pleasant voice modulate itself into deeper tenderness of
expression, when he took little children in his arms.
The next First Day, which we call the Sabbath, the whole family attended
Newtown meeting; and there John Estaugh was gifted with an outpouring of
the Spirit in his ministry, which sank deep into the hearts of those who
listened to him. Elizabeth found it so remarkably applicable to the
trials and temptations of her own soul, that she almost deemed it was
spoken on purpose for her. She said nothing of this, but she pondered
upon it deeply. Thus did a few days of united duties make them more
thoroughly acquainted with each other than they could have been by years
of fashionable intercourse.
The young preacher soon after bade farewell, to visit other meetings in
Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Elizabeth saw him no more until the May
following, when he stopped at her house to lodge, with numerous other
Friends, on their way to the quarterly meeting at Salem. In the morning
quite a cavalcade dashed from her hospitable door on horseback; for
wagons were then unknown in Jersey. John Estaugh, always kindly in his
impulses, busied himself with helping a lame and very ugly old woman,
and left his hostess to mount her horse as she could. Most young women
would have felt slighted; but in Elizabeth's noble soul the quiet, deep
tide of feeling rippled with an inward joy. "He is always kindest to the
poor and the neglected," thought she; "verily, he _is_ a good youth."
She was leaning over the side of her horse, to adjust the buckle of the
girth, when he came up on horseback and inquired if any thing was out of
order. She thanked, with a slight confusion of manner, and a voice less
calm than her usual utterance. He assisted her to mount, and they
trotted along leisurely behind the procession of guests, speaking of the
soil and climate of this new country, and how wonderfully the Lord had
here provided a home for his chosen people. Presently the girth began to
slip, and the saddle turned so much on one side that Elizabeth was
obliged to dismount. It took some time to readjust it, and when they
again started, the company were out of sight. There was brighter color
than usual in the maiden's cheeks, and unwonted radiance in her mild
deep eyes. After a short silence she said, in a voice slightly
tremulous: "Friend John, I have a subject of importance on my mind, and
one which nearly interests thee. I am strongly impressed that the Lord
has sent thee to me as a partner for life. I tell thee my impression
frankly, but not without calm and deep reflection; for matrimony is a
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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