hem now; but our English ancestors
entertained superstitions of much the same character at the same
period, and with less excuse, as the circumstances surrounding them
were better known, and consequently more explicable by common sense
than the real mysteries of the deep, untrodden forests of New England.
The gravest divines not only believed stories similar to that of the
double-headed serpent, and other tales of witchcraft, but they made
such narrations the subjects of preaching and prayer; and as cowardice
makes us all cruel, men who were blameless in many of the relations of
life, and even praiseworthy in some, became, from superstition, cruel
persecutors about this time, showing no mercy towards any one whom they
believed to be in league with the Evil One.

Faith was the person with whom the English girl was the most intimately
associated in her uncle's house. The two were about the same age, and
certain household employments were shared between them. They took it in
turns to call in the cows, to make up the butter which had been churned
by Hosea, a stiff old out-door servant, in whom Grace Hickson placed
great confidence; and each lassie had her great spinning-wheel for
wool, and her lesser for flax, before a month had elapsed after Lois's
coming. Faith was a grave, silent person, never merry, sometimes very
sad, though Lois was a long time in even guessing why. She would try in
her sweet, simple fashion to cheer her cousin up, when the latter was
depressed, by telling her old stories of English ways and life.
Occasionally, Faith seemed to care to listen, occasionally she did not
heed one word, but dreamed on. Whether of the past or of the future,
who could tell?

Stern old ministers came in to pay their pastoral visits. On such
occasions, Grace Hickson would put on clean apron and clean cap, and
make them more welcome than she was ever seen to do nay one else,
bringing out the best provisions of her store, and setting of all
before them. Also, the great Bible was brought forth, and Hosea and
Nattee summoned from their work to listen while the minister read a
chapter, and, as he read, expounded it at considerable length. After
this all knelt, while he, standing, lifted up his right hand, and
prayed for all possible combinations of Christian men, for all possible
cases of spiritual need; and lastly, taking the individuals before him,
he would put up a very personal supplication for each, according to his
notion o