about religion. So there seemed no valid objection,
and two years after our introduction we were married, on the 18th of
November, 1836.

Then all was changed. I offended him the day after by shedding tears
when I left home to go for a visit to his father's house, and his sister
had told him that I cried while dressing to be married. These offenses
he never forgave, and concluded that since I cared so little for him, he
would not leave his friends and go up the Allegheny with me. His
services were indispensable at home, since his brother Samuel had gone
into business for himself, and the next brother William was not
seventeen, and could not take charge of the farm and mills. His mother
was ready to take me into the family,--although the house was not large
enough to accommodate us comfortably--the old shop in the yard could be
fitted up for a school-room. I could teach and he could manage the
estate.

In this change, he but followed that impulse which led the men of
England, centuries ago, to enact, that "marriage annuls all previous
contracts between the parties," and which now leads men in all civilized
countries to preserve such statutes. It is an old adage, "All is fair in
love as in war," but I thought not of general laws, and only felt a
private grievance.

By a further change of plan, I was to get religion and preach. Wesley
made the great innovation of calling women to the pulpit, and although
it had afterwards been closed to them generally, there were still women
who did preach, while all were urged to take part in public worship. My
husband had been converted after our engagement and shortly before our
marriage, and was quite zealous. He thought me wonderfully wise, and
that I might bring souls to Christ if I only would. I quoted Paul: "Let
women keep silence in churches, and learn of their husbands at home." He
replied, "Wives, obey your husbands." He laughed at the thought of my
learning from him and said: "What shall I teach you? Will you come to
the mill and let me show you how to put a log on the carriage?"

It was a very earnest discussion, and the Bible was on both sides; but I
followed the lead of my church, which taught me to be silent. He quoted
his preachers, who were in league with him, to get me to give myself to
the Lord, help them save souls, by calling on men everywhere to repent;
but I was obstinate. I would not get religion, would not preach, would
not live in the house with his mother,