Mr. Russell was in no hurry to lose his only daughter, "I'll have to think it over, Mr. Strong. Thee must be nearly twice our Hannah's age, a widower with a son only about five years younger than she is. Yes, I have to have time to think about it and talk it over with the girl's mother."
To this Silas agreed reluctantly. At the store the two men parted company. Father Russell drove thoughtfully homeward with a new problem to mull over before he could consult his wife concerning Silas' proposal.
Silas Strong was an architect-contractor, a builder - and a good one. He had planned and built many of the beautiful homes in the state and even to the south in Kentucky and Tennessee. His work often took him away from Cardington for several weeks at a time.
Mr. Russell, who had always had his wife with him, naturally supposed that, should they give their consent to the contractor's proposal, he would expect to take Hannah with him. Quakers felt that a wife's place was ever at her husband's side. Then, too, he felt Hannah's future would be safer if she married a Quaker.
Mother Russell noticed her husband's preoccupation, but knew he would tell her what was worrying him in his own good time. One afternoon, as Hannah and the boys were gathering the eggs, he told her.
Mother Russell was dumbfounded. "Silas Strong is twice our Hannah's age, and 'tis said he has a bad temper if things do not go to please him. Besides he has that son, Roaldo, not more than five years younger than our Hannah. I do not like the idea of Hannah's starting married life with an old man and a ready-made family."
"I, too, have thought of all these things," replied Father Russell. "But I know the man has many good qualities as well as the undesirable ones thee has mentioned. I feel sure he will expect an answer the first time we meet in town. We had better ask our Hannah how she feels about so vital a question. She is a sensible girl and will give the matter deep thought, I feel sure."
There the matter rested, but Mother Russell's mind did not. It was in a turmoil while they were preparing the evening meal. She was not surprised when, after the supper dishes were done and the room tidied for the night, that Father Russell said to Hannah, "Thy mother and I have a matter to discuss with thee, so sit with us until thy brothers go to bed."
Hannah sat in a straight-backed chair by the stove and wondered what she had done to cause her parents to look so serious. She could think of no misbehavior she had committed. The boys went upstairs to bed and still the three sat in silence for a few moments.
Finally, Father Russell cleared his throat and began, "Thou art almost a grown woman now, Hannah, and yet to thy mother and me thou art still a child. But others do not think of thee that way. In fact, while I was in town last week, a man approached me and asked thy hand in marriage. It is a decision thee must make after careful consideration of all things concerned. Thy mother and I will abide by thy decision."
"Some man wants to marry me! Who in the world can he be? I know no man that I can think of who would want that!" Hannah said. Then she added, "Tell me about this man. Who is he and where did he ever see me?"
"The man is one you have seen at a distance a few times and who has seen thee but once and that was the day thy brothers fell from the big apple tree. He is Silas Strong, the widower who called on thy Aunt Jane a few times."
The image of the tall straight man with the coal black hair and the neatly trimmed beard flashed into her mind. She folded and unfolded her hands in her lap. "He was very handsome," she finally said, "but I would want to know him well before I would want to marry him or any man and leave thee and my mother for a home of my own, maybe far away from here! Surely there is no hurry about this is there, my dear parents?"
"Think about it, and discuss it with thy mother," said Father Russell. So the matter rested and the family retired for the night.
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