Arthur Howell was another intimate acquaintance of Friend Hopper.  He was a currier in Philadelphia, a preacher in the Society of Friends, characterized by kindly feelings, and a very tender conscience.  Upon one occasion, he purchased from the captain of a vessel a quantity of oil, which he afterward sold at an advanced price.  Under these circumstances, he thought the captain had not received so much as he ought to have; and he gave him an additional dollar on every barrel.  This man was remarkable for spiritual-mindedness and the gift of prophecy.  It was no uncommon thing for him to relate occurrences which were happening at the moment many miles distant, and to foretell the arrival of people, or events, when there appeared to be no external reasons on which to ground such expectations.

One Sunday morning, he was suddenly impelled to proceed to Germantown in haste.  As he approached the village, he met a funeral procession.  He had no knowledge whatever of the deceased; but it was suddenly revealed to him that the occupant of the coffin before him was a woman whose life had been saddened by the suspicion of a crime, which she never committed.  The impression became very strong on his mind that she wished him to make certain statements at her funeral.  Accordingly, he followed the procession, and when they arrived at the meeting-house, he entered and listened to the prayer delivered by her pastor.  When the customary services were finished, Arthur Howell rose, and asked permission to speak.  “I did not know the deceased, even by name,” said he.  “But it is given me to say, that she suffered much and unjustly.  Her neighbors generally suspected her of a crime, which she did not commit; and in a few weeks from this time, it will be made clearly manifest to the world that she was innocent.  A few hours before her death, she talked on this subject with the clergyman who attended upon her, and who is now present; and it is given me to declare the communication she made to him upon that occasion.”

He then proceeded to relate the particulars of the interview; to which the clergyman listened with evident astonishment.  When the communication was finished, he said, “I don’t know who this man is, or how he has obtained information on this subject; but certain it is, he has repeated, word for word, a conversation which I supposed was known only to myself and the deceased.”

The woman in question had gone out in the fields one day, with her infant in her arms, and she returned without it.  She said she had laid it down on a heap of dry leaves, while she went to pick a few flowers; and when she returned, the baby was gone.  The fields and woods were searched in vain, and neighbors began to whisper that she had committed infanticide.  Then rumors arose that she was dissatisfied with her marriage; that her heart remained with a young man to whom she was previously engaged; and that her brain was affected by this secret unhappiness.  She