ugh which they traveled were clogged with ice. One night, having
been ferried across the Mohawk River, they took their baggage and walked
for miles before they could find shelter. Finally, when they were within
three miles of their home, Elder Calvin shortened the way by going
across the open fields through the snow, up and down the hills and
through the gullies and over fences, till they reached the house at
midnight, safe and sound, the brave little quail girl having trudged
beside them the whole distance, carrying her tin pail."

Sue was transported with interest, her lips parted, her eyes shining,
her hands clasped. "Oh, I wish I could be a brave little quail girl,
Mardie! What became of her?"

"Her name was Polly Reed, and when she grew up, she became a teacher of
the Shaker school, then an Eldress, and even a preacher. I don't know
what kind of a little quail girl you would make, Sue; do you think you
could walk for miles through the ice and snow uncomplainingly?"

"I don' know's I could," sighed Sue; "but," she added hopefully,
"perhaps I could teach or preach, and then I could gropeanwag as much
as ever I liked." Then, after a lengthy pause, in which her mind worked
feverishly, she said, "Mardie, I was just groping a little bit, but I
won't do it any more tonight. If the old quail birds in the woods where
Elder Calvin prayed, if those old birds had been Shaker birds, there
would n't have been any little quail birds, would there, because Shakers
don't have children, and then perhaps there would n't have been any
little Polly Reed."

Susanna rose hurriedly from the list-bottomed chair and folded her work.
"I'll go up and help you undress now," she said; "it's seven o'clock,
and I must go to the family meeting."

VI. Susanna Speaks in Meeting

It was the Sabbath day and the Believers were gathered in the
meetinghouse, Brethren and Sisters seated quietly on their separate
benches, with the children by themselves in their own place. As the men
entered the room they removed their hats and coats and hung them upon
wooden pegs that lined the sides of the room, while the women took off
their bonnets; then, after standing for a moment of perfect silence,
they seated themselves.

In Susanna's time the Sunday costume for the men included trousers of
deep blue cloth with a white line and a vest of darker blue, exposing
a full-bosomed shirt that had a wide turned-down collar fastened with
three buttons. The Si