Offers his hand and heart—the hand and heart of a soldier.
You, who are bred as a scholar, can say it in elegant language,
Such as you read in your books of the pleadings and wooings of lovers;
Such as you think best adapted to win the heart of a maiden.’”
Now it happened that poor John Alden was himself enamoured of the lovely Puritan maiden, and he listened to this request aghast. But Standish, unaware of this fact, urged the unwelcome mission on his blushing scribe, and demanded his acceptance of it in the name of friendship. Alden determined to perform the mission, and to do it faithfully; so he hied him through the forest to Priscilla’s dwelling. Entering without ado, he at once broached the subject, and flung forth a glowing record of his master’s virtues. Priscilla heard him awhile in ominous silence, and then interrupted him by this query:
“‘If the great captain of Plymouth is so very eager to wed me,
Why does he not come himself, and take the trouble to woo me?
If I am not worth the wooing, I surely am not worth the winning.’”
Alden tried to explain and smooth the matter;
“But as he warmed and glowed in his simple and eloquent language,