"There's a great deal to learn everywhere," her mother answered. "What
verse did Eldress Abby give you to-day?"

"For little tripping maids may follow God
Along the ways that saintly feet have trod,"

quoted the child. "Am I a tripping maid, Mardie?" she continued.

"Yes, dear."

"If I trip too much, mightn't I fall?"

"Yes, I suppose so."

"Is tripping the same as skipping?"

"About the same."

"Is it polite to tripanskip when you're following God?"

"It couldn't be impolite if you meant to be good. A tripping maid means
just a young one."

"What is a maid?"

"A little girl."

"When a maid grows up, what is she?"

"Why--she's a maiden, I suppose."

"When a maiden grows up, what is _she_?"

"Just a woman, Sue."

"What is saintly feet?"

"Feet like those of Eldress Abby or Elder Gray; feet of people who have
always tried to do right."

"Are Brother Ansel's feet saintly?"

"He's a good, kind, hard-working man."

"Is good-kind-hard-working same as saintly?"

"Well, it's not so very different, perhaps.--Now, Sue, I've asked you
before, don't let your mind grope, and your little tongue wag, every
instant; it isn't good for you, and it certainly isn't good for me!"

"All right; but 'less I gropeanwag sometimes, I don't see how I'll ever
learn the things I 'specially want to know?" sighed Sue the insatiable.

"Shall I tell you a Shaker story, one that Eldress Abby told me last
evening?"

"Oh, do, Mardie!" cried Sue, crossing her feet, folding her hands, and
looking up into her mother's face expectantly.

"Once there was a very good Shaker named Elder Calvin Green, and some
one wrote him a letter asking him to come a long distance and found a
Settlement in the western part of New York State. He and some other
Elders and Eldresses traveled five days, and stopped at the house of a
certain Joseph Pelham to spend Sunday and hold a meeting. On Monday
morning, very tired, and wondering where to stay and begin his
preaching, the Elder went out into the woods to pray for guidance. When
he rose from his knees, feeling stronger and lighter-hearted, a young
quail came up to him so close that he picked it up. It was not a bit
afraid, neither did the old parent birds who were standing near by show
any sign of fear, though they are very timid creatures. The Elder
smoothed the young bird's feathers a little while and then let it go,
but he thought an angel seemed to say to him, 'The quail is a sign; y