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==Quarterly Meetings==
Another interesting occasion of childhood memory was the Quarterly Meeting, held, as its name implies, every three months. Sometimes it was "on the Hill", sometimes "in the Valley", as the churches of South Hill and Schenevus were designated. The presiding Elder must be present and in charge of this meeting. He came on Saturday, as the "Love Feast" was at 9 A.M., Sabbath morning; preaching immediately after, then the Holy Communion. There was no breaking of bread at any other time.
The Elder usually came to our house. I remember one, a dignified, elderly man with a kind face, and a lover of children. How pleasant it all was! The opened parlor, lighted in the evening with more than one candle. All gathered around the table, while the elder read from the Bible and explained the lesson so simply that children could understand. Then there was the prayer, sometimes long, but always ending with the request that God would "bless the head of this house, his wife and his children". If my thoughts were wandering, they always came back at this, and how I loved the "Amen", which most ministers pronounce in an impressive way.
I don't know why, but the ministers who called my father "Brother Roberts", always called my mother "Sister Fanny". Perhaps it was because she was so timid and retiring, as we speak with kindly familiarity to bashful children.
Because of an accident, I especially remember a time when the meeting was to be held at Schenevus, the road to which we called "down the Gulf". It was a steep, narrow road, with several sharp turns, where teams could not pass each other. When approaching one of these the driver would call out, so that, if another was near he might take warning and wait where the road was wide enough to allow teams to pass each other. The scenery was very picturesque; on one side rocky cliffs rose to a great height; the trees on their summit seemed to me to touch the sky. On the other side was a deep gorge with a stream at the bottom, a torrent in the spring-time, a '''___''' in summer. Stunted trees, underbrush and rocks clothed its sides, and only at places could we look down to the water.
It was winter; there had been a rain, then a freeze, making the still good sleighing very slippery. It was a proper time to drive sober old Doll and Nell, so thought my mother; but father was a careful driver, and Prince and Charlie needed exercise.
I see them now, as they were brought to the door, gaily tossing their heads, as pleased with their jingling bells as I was. So we, tucked snugly in among the warm robes, were off. At a neighbor's we stopped for Charlotte '''Footh''' (?), a young woman who wished to go to the meeting. On we flew, past the schoolhouse, past the church, until we came to the Gulf road. Here the pace was slackened, and all went well until we were half way down, when something startled the horses; as they sprang into a run, the sleigh slid round and turned on its side, spilling us all out.
Alarmed at what might have happened to some of us, my father, after being dragged some distance, let go of the reins and hurried back. We were all unhurt except poor Charlotte, who had been thrown down the bank against a tree, which saved her from the water. Father crept down to her, and managed to bring her up in his arms. Then it was seen that her jaw had been broken by the fall. Near the foot of the Gulf was a house, and to it my father carried Charlotte. We were very kindly taken in and someone sent for a doctor.
My father and Emory now hurried on after the runaways. They had been running so fast that instead of turning with the road, they had gone straight on into the snowdrifts and over the rail fence where the entangled sleigh held them fast. They were uninjured, and quite sobered. I don't doubt they were glad to hear their master's voice. We were able to go home in our own sleigh, after the doctor had set the broken jaw, and promised that all would go well with Charlotte after a little rest. So we left our young friend to be brought home the next day. Sobered, like our horses, we sadly returned. I am glad to add that Charlotte's face was not at all disfigured.
==Blackberries and Robbers==
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