ve 'em dress up nice
evenin's and see some young folks and have a good time, and go to meetin'
Sundays, and then have done with the minister, unless it was old Father
Pemberton. He knows forty times as much about heaven as that Stoker man
does, or ever 's like to,--why don't they run after him, I should like to
know? Ministers are men, come now; and I don't want to say anything
against women, Mr. Gridley, but women are women, that's the fact of it,
and half of 'em are hystericky when they're young; and I've heard old Dr.
Hurlbut say many a time that he had to lay in an extra stock of valerian
and assafaetida whenever there was a young minister round,--for there's
plenty of religious ravin', says he, that's nothin' but hysterics."

[Mr. Fronde thinks that was the trouble with Bloody Queen Mary, but the
old physician did not get the idea from him.]

"Well, and what do you propose to do about the Rev. Joseph Bellamy Stoker
and his young proselyte, Miss Myrtle Hazard?" said Mr. Gridley, when Mrs.
Hopkins at last gave him a chance to speak.

"Mr. Gridley,"--Mrs. Hopkins looked full upon him as she spoke,--"people
used to say that you was a good man and a great man and one of the
learnedest men alive, but that you didn't know much nor care for much
except books. I know you used to live pretty much to yourself when you
first came to board in this house. But you've been very good to my son;
...and if Gifted lives till you ...till you are in ...your grave, ...he
will write a poem--I know he will--that will tell your goodness to babes
unborn."

[Here Master Gridley groaned, and repeated to himself silently,

"Scindentur vestes gemmae frangentur et aurum,
Carmina quam tribuent fama perennis erit."

All this inwardly, and without interrupting the worthy woman's talk.]

"And if ever Gifted makes a book,--don't say anything about it, Mr.
Gridley, for goodness' sake, for he wouldn't have anybody know it, only I
can't help thinking that some time or other he will print a book,--and if
he does, I know whose name he'll put at the head of it,--'Dedicated to B.
G., with the gratitude and respect--' There, now, I had n't any business
to say a word about it, and it's only jest in case he does, you know.
I'm sure you deserve it all. You've helped him with the best of advice.
And you've been kind to me when I was in trouble. And you've been like a
grandfather" [Master Gridley winced,--why could n't the woman have said
fat