Convention has prescribed that the funeral meal shall consist invariably of cold meat, cheese, all sorts of stewed dried fruits, pickles, “lemon rice” (a dish never omitted), and coffee.

As no one household possesses enough dishes for such an occasion, two chests of dishes owned by the Mennonite church are sent to the house of mourning whenever needed by a member of the Meeting.

The Mennonites present suffered a shock to their feelings upon the appearance of the widow of the deceased Adam Schunk, for—­ unprecedented circumstance!—­she wore over her black Mennonite hood a crape veil!  This was an innovation nothing short of revolutionary, and the brethren and sisters, to whom their prescribed form of dress was sacred, were bewildered to know how they ought to regard such a digression from their rigid customs.

“I guess Mandy’s proud of herself with her weil,” Tillie’s stepmother whispered to her as she gave the girl a tray of coffee-cups to deliver about the table.

But Tillie’s thoughts were inward bent, and she heeded not what went on about her.  Fear of death and the judgment, a longing to find the peace which could come only with an assured sense of her salvation, darkness as to how that peace might be found, a sense of the weakness of her flesh and spirit before her father’s undoubted opposition to her “turning plain,” as well as his certain refusal to supply the wherewithal for her Mennonite garb, should she indeed be led of the Spirit to “give herself up,”—­all these warring thoughts and emotions stamped their lines upon the girl’s sweet, troubled countenance, as, blind and deaf to her surroundings, she lent her helping hand almost as one acting in a trance.

XI

“Pop!  I feel to be plain”

The psychical and, considering the critical age of the young girl, the physiological processes by which Tillie was finally led to her conversion it is not necessary to analyze; for the experience is too universal, and differs too slightly in individual cases, to require comment.  Perhaps in Tillie’s case it was a more intense and permanent emotion than with the average convert.  Otherwise, deep and earnest though it was with her, it was not unique.

The New Mennonite sermon which had been the instrument to determine the channel in which should flow the emotional tide of her awakening womanhood, had convinced her that if she would be saved, she dare not compromise with the world by joining one of those churches as, for instance, the Methodist or the Evangelical, which permitted every sort of worldly indulgence,—­fashionable dress, attendance at the circus, voting at the polls, musical instruments, “pleasure-seeking,” and many other things which the Word of God forbade.  She must give herself up to the Lord absolutely and entirely, forswearing all the world’s allurements.  The New Mennonites alone, of all the Christian sects, lived up to this scriptural ideal, and with them Tillie would cast her lot.