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"The question, my honest friend, is,.....will they admit us to shelter ?" "Never fear," replied my companion. "This small estate belongs "to a particular friend of mine, an "honest good fellow; who delights "in the exercise of hospitality. Come, "Sir, be of good cheer, he will give us lodging, I warrant you.”

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Although we were rather tired.... this pleasing discovery gave us new strength, and we posted down the hill at a tolerable good pace......When we came to the bottom, we found ourselves in an avenue of tall chesnut trees, leading to a large plain building, which I imagined to be the residence of the person to whom this estate belonged.

As we approached the mansion, our ears were saluted with vocal harmony from the united voices of several male and female singers... The stillness of the

night assisted the effect of its melody, and the whole was charming..... I immediately fancied I was among that order of beings, who,.....as the Stranger assured me,.....could alone prepare me for the service of the Lord. .....My guide, however, betrayed no 'symptoms of surprize, and I at once suspected our arrival not to be the sport of chance, but a concerted plan to bring me there.

We listened till the singing ended, when,.......my guide giving three separate taps at the outward gate....a voice from within enquired, "Who "is there,....and what do you want?"

My companion made some reply in Syriac;.....and then added in Greek .....that he was attended by two strangers bound for Pitane, whom he had misled...by mistaking his road through the forest;.......and intreated shelter for the night.

Immediately the gate was opened,... and a tall man, of about fifty, advanced......taking each of us by the hand .....to bid us welcome. A fine little boy.......one of his sons......lighted us .......and we proceeded to a small hall where five or six lively youths of the family exerted themselves to display the hospitality of their father.

An equal number of girls, from the ages of thirteen to twenty, next presented themselves with utensils for washing our feet........Their dress and manners were simple......but so interesting was the native innocence..... complaisance.........and virgin timidity of these lovely girls.........I think they differed from all the females I had ever seen..........They placed the water before us.....laid towels, &c. on the table, and retired, without having once raised their eyes from the employment they were engaged in.

There was a remarkable incident in this family. all the girls were so much alike, that they were alone distinguishable by a difference of years

...and so it was with the boys........ The two younger of whom,.....regardless of the intreaties both of my servant and myself.........performed the ceremony of washing our feet....... as did the next, those of our guide..... the whole being conducted in silence; .....and with an humility of demeanor that had the appearance of devotion.

Having rested a little and being very much recruited by this last indulgenee......our hest led us to another apartment, where we gladly sat down to a covered table laid out with eggs... milk.excellent bread......and dried

fruits

Here we were. introduced to the lady of the house;......a fine elderly woman......who requested we would

consider ourselves at home ;......and partake......without ceremony.......the frugal repast which she was prevented by the late hour from making more acceptable.

It is not possible to give you an idea of the sort of sentiment the first sight of this amiable matron inspired we with........She had the dignity of a Queen, tempered with the meekness of a Saint.......I do not think she had ever been a beauty..........but she was infinitely more.......and the expression of her countenance.......then indefinable to me......I found......after my initiation into the rites of Christianity .....to have been of that composed..... serene......holy.....kind of complexion, which a painter would have taken as a model to represent the blessed Virgin.

It was a most gratifying sight to view this noble pair, surrounded by

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