The young man was taken by surprise.  Though accustomed to that suppression of emotion which characterizes his religious sect, the color went and came rapidly in his face for a moment; but he soon became calmer and said:  “This thought is new to me, Elizabeth, and I have no light thereon.  Thy company has been right pleasant to me, and thy countenance ever reminds me of William Penn’s title-page, ’Innocency with her open face.’  I have seen thy kindness to the poor, and the wise management of thy household.  I have observed, too, that thy warm-heartedness is tempered by a most excellent discretion, and that thy speech is ever sincere.  Assuredly, such is the maiden I would ask of the Lord as a most precious gift; but I never thought of this connection with thee.  I came to this country solely on a religious visit, and it might distract my mind to entertain this subject at present.  When I have discharged the duties of my mission, we will speak further.”

“It is best so,” rejoined the maiden; “but there is one thing which disturbs my conscience.  Thou hast spoken of my true speech; and yet, friend John, I have deceived thee a little, even now, while we conferred together on a subject so serious.  I know not from what weakness the temptation came; but I will not hide it from thee.  I allowed thee to suppose, just now, that I was fastening the girth of my horse securely; but, in plain truth, I was loosening the girth, John, that the saddle might slip, and give me an excuse to fall behind our friends; for I thought thou wouldst be kind enough to come and ask if I needed thy services.”

They spoke no further concerning their union; but when he returned to England in July, he pressed her hand affectionately, as he said:  “Farewell, Elizabeth.  If it be the Lord’s will I shall return to thee soon.”

In October he returned to America, and they were soon married, at Newtown meeting, according to the simple form of the Society of Friends.  Neither of them made any change of dress for the occasion, and there was no wedding-feast.  Without the aid of priest or magistrate, they took each other by the hand, and, in the presence of witnesses, calmly and solemnly promised to be kind and faithful to each other.  The wedded pair quietly returned to their happy home, with none to intrude on those sacred hours of human life, when the heart most needs to be left alone with its own deep emotions.

During the long period of their union, she three times crossed the Atlantic to visit her aged parents, and he occasionally left her for a season, when called abroad to preach.  These temporary separations were felt as a cross; but the strong-hearted woman always cheerfully gave him up to follow his own convictions of duty.  In 1742 he parted from her to go on a religious visit to Tortola, in the West Indies.  He died there in the sixty-seventh year of his age.  She published a religious tract of his, to which she prefixed a preface entitled, “Elizabeth Estaugh’s