Soon after this, Mr. Anthony remarked that one of the “spoolers” was ill and there was no one to do her work.  Susan and Hannah had spent many hours watching the factory girls, and at once raised a clamor to take the place of the sick “spooler.”  The mother objected, but the father, who always encouraged his children in their independent ideas, interceded and finally they were allowed to draw straws to decide which should go, the winner to divide her wages with the loser.  The lot fell to Susan, who worked faithfully every day for two weeks and received full wages, $3.  Hannah, with her $1.50, bought a green bead bag, then considered the crowning glory of a girl’s wardrobe.  Susan purchased half a dozen pale-blue coffee cups and saucers, which she had heard her mother wish for, and presented them to her with a happy heart.

The next summer the house was built, the finest in that part of the country, a two-and-a-half-story brick with fifteen rooms and all the conveniences then known.  Quakers never celebrate Christmas, but the Anthonys, having lived now for seven years in a Presbyterian neighborhood, decided to give the children a Christmas party in the new home.  The walls had a beautiful hard finish, the woodwork was tinted light green and the new flag-bottomed chairs were painted black.  Between the rough boots of the country youths and the chairs pushed or tipped against the wall, both woodwork and plastering were almost ruined, and the new house carried a lasting reminder of the festivities.

About this time Daniel Anthony was again brought under Quaker criticism.  On one of his journeys to New York he had bought a camlet cloak with a big cape, as affording the best protection for the long, cold rides he had to take.  The Friends declared this to be “out of plainness” and insisted that he leave off the cape and cease wearing a brightly colored handkerchief about his neck and ears.  Daniel, who was beginning to be rather restive under these restraints, refused to comply, but, as he was a valuable member, it was finally decided here also to condone his offense.

Through all those years Lucy Anthony went to Quaker meeting with her husband.  After public services were over, however, and the shutters pulled up between the men’s and the women’s sides of the house for business meeting, she was rigidly barred out.  She would take her children and walk about in the grave-yard outside while she waited for Daniel, but, as the graves were all in a row without even a headstone to distinguish them, this was not a very interesting pastime and the wait was long and tedious.  When the little girls went with the father they also were shut out of the executive session where such momentous questions were discussed as, “Are Friends careful to keep themselves and their children from attending places of diversion?” “Are Friends careful to refrain from tale-bearing and detraction?” “Are Friends careful to send their children to school, and all children in their employ?”