y
smile, methinks."

"'The laughter of fools is as the crackling of thorns under a pot,'" was
the somewhat severe answer.

"One need not break out into silly giggling," was the rather tart reply.
"I abhor that myself. But a smile on a child's face is much to be
preferred to a frown. 'And a merry heart doeth good like a medicine.'"

"'Children,' saith the wise man, 'are to be brought up in the fear and
admonition of the Lord.'"

"Ah, well! luckily there are many rules and opinions in the world.
Good-by, Rose-blossom. Next week we will welcome thee at Wetherill
House."

Primrose followed her aunt to the door. There were Mistress Kent's horse
and the black servant, who respectfully touched his hat and assisted his
mistress to mount, then sprang on his own steed, and with a wave of the
hand and a nodding of the veil she cantered away.

"Next week! Why, Aunt Lois, how near it is! I had forgotten," Primrose
exclaimed breathlessly.

"It would be a most excellent thing if thou wert allowed to forget
altogether. This continual changing works ill. Now go and stir the meal
and feed those late chicks. Put in some of the cracked corn for the
mother hen."

Primrose went at once, though she was eager to ask about the promised
journey, but the habit of repression was strong upon her, and obedience
to the letter was exacted from children at that period. It must have
been a halcyon time for mothers when a child never ventured to ask why.

Friend Henry went out to the kitchen again. It was a great room with a
wide fireplace and a crane that accommodated two kettles. An iron baking
pot stood in a bed of coals, with a plentiful supply on the cover. The
black woman came and gave it a push partly around, with the tongs, so
that the farthest side should have the benefit of the blaze.

There were even then many Friends who owned slaves, indeed most of the
servants were of African descent. The feelings and beliefs of
Philadelphia were more in consonance with the settlements farther south,
than those to the north of them. But the Henrys held slavery in
abhorrence, and hired their servants. Lois Henry kept but one woman, and
she was quite superior to the average of her race; indeed, like her
mistress, was of the persuasion of Friends.

The two women busied themselves about the supper. If Friends were plain
in their household adornments and attire, they did not stint in food nor
the trouble of preparing it.

Primrose fed the two lat