Page:A New England Tale.djvu/280

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A NEW-ENGLAND TALE.
269

of the purity and simplicity of her character, the preference she always gave to the spirit over the letter, to the practice over the profession, she must call to her aid the decision of the poet, who says that

"Minds are for sects of various kinds decreed,
As different soils are formed for different seed."

Not a word had passed between Mr. Lloyd and Jane on the subject of the mental deliberations and resolves of each, when a few days after their engagement, Jane said to him, "I have a mind to improve the fatal hint of my little mischievous friend, and see how becoming I can make a "quaker cap."

"What dost thou mean, Jane?" inquired Mr. Lloyd, who seemed a little puzzled by the gravity of her face, which was not quite in keeping with the playfulness of her words.

"Seriously," she replied, with your consent and approbation, "I mean to be a 'member by request' of your society of friends."

"Shall my people be thy people?" exclaimed Mr. Lloyd with great animation. This, indeed, converts to pure gold the only circumstance that alloyed my happiness; but do not imagine, dear Jane, that I think it of the least consequence, by what name the different members of the christian family are called."

"But you think it right and orderly," she replied, smiling, "that the wife should take the name of the husband?"