r not going to church. At
last, having lost their property through seizures made to satisfy their
fines, the General Court of Boston issued an order for their sale, as
slaves, to any Englishman of Virginia or Barbadoes. Edward Butter was
assigned to sell and take them to their master. The day arrived and Salem
market-place was crowded with a throng of the curious. Provided Southwick
mounted the block and Butter began to call for bids. While expatiating on
the aptness of the girl for field or house-service, the master of the
Barbadoes ship on which Butter had engaged passage for himself and his
two charges looked into her innocent face, and roared, in noble dudgeon,
"If my ship were filled with silver, by God, I'd sink her in harbor
rather than take away this child!" The multitude experienced a quick
change of feeling and applauded the sentiment. As the judges and officers
trudged away with gloomy faces, Provided Southwick descended from the
auction-block, and brother and sister went forth into the town free and
unharmed.

THE COURTSHIP OF MYLES STANDISH

Myles Standish, compact, hard-headed little captain of the Puritan guard
at Plymouth, never knew the meaning of fear until he went a-courting
Priscilla Mullins--or was she a Molines, as some say? He had fought white
men and red men and never reeked of danger in the doing it, but his
courage sank to his boots whenever this demure maiden glanced at him, as
he thought, with approval. Odd, too, for he had been married once, and
Rose was not so long dead that he had forgotten the ways and likings of
women; but he made no progress in his suit, and finally chose John Alden
to urge it for him. John--who divides with Mary Chilton the honor of
being first to land on Plymouth Rock--was a well-favored lad of
twenty-two. Until he could build a house for himself he shared Standish's
cottage and looked up to that worthy as a guardian, but it was a hard
task that was set for him now. He went to goodman Mullins with a slow
step and sober countenance and asked leave to plead his protector's
cause. The father gave it, called his daughter in, and left them
together; then, with noble faith to his mission, the young man begged the
maiden's hand for the captain, dwelling on his valor, strength, wisdom,
his military greatness, his certainty of promotion, his noble lineage,
and all good attributes he could endow him with.

Priscilla kept at her spinning while this harangue went on, but