Graves was the mother of three sensible,
modest girls, who would have made capital ministers' wives. Why will
ministers be so shortsighted?

"But, mother," Tom Graves asked, "aren't you pretty fast? How do you
know but she is sensible and modest; you never heard her speak a
word?"

"Anybody with half an eye don't need to hear her speak to know all
about her."

"The idea of a minister's wife," said Mrs. Meggs, "with her hair
frizzed, and such a long trail for church!"

"She paints, I know she does!" said sallow Miss Pry. "There never was
such a complexion as that born on to a human being."

Those who did not say anything, who made it a rule never to speak
uncharitably of anyone, seemed well satisfied to have others to do it
for them, and looked and sighed their holy horror that their minister
should have shown so little discretion in choosing a wife. Just to
think of her leading the female prayer-meeting and being president of
the Missionary society, humph!

Ah! if there had been one dear "mother in Israel," with love enough
to bear this young thing in the arms of her faith to the mercy seat
and plead a blessing for her--with courage enough to try to win her
to see the blessedness of living a consecrated life, it might all
have been different.

When Thane Eldred first met Vida Irving he was immediately taken
captive. So fair a vision never crossed his path before; whatever of
enchantment might have been wanting in golden curls and blue eyes was
completed by a voice such as few possess, rich, sweet, and fine
compass; had she been poor it might have brought her a fortune. When
he heard her sing in such angelic strains the sweet hymns he loved,
he took it for granted that the words of fervent devotion but gave
voice to the feelings of her own heart. So fair a bit of clay, he
reasoned, must contain a soul of corresponding beauty, and he
forthwith invested her with all the charms of an angel. A slight
misgiving, it is true, sometimes crossed his mind as to whether she
could adapt herself easily to the difficult position of a pastor's
wife. She had the air of an empress, and the hauteur of her manner
was often so great as to gain her positive enemies, and yet the
deluded man, with blind eyes, reasoned, "I can mould her to what I
will when she is mine; it is the fault of a false education, I am
quite sure her heart is all right."

And why did the spoiled beauty condescend to smile upon one, who by
his very professio