but in that muddy slushy, transition
state of weather when nothing anywhere seems settled save clouds, dun
and dreary, drooping low over a dreary earth; came when the minister
was struggling hard with a nervous headache and sleeplessness and
anxiety over a sick child; came when every nerve was drawn to its
highest tension, and the slightest touch might snap the main cord. It
didn't snap, however. He read that long, wise, carefully-written,
_sympathetic_ letter through twice, without the outward movement of a
muscle, only a flush of red rising to his forehead, and then
receding, leaving him very pale. Then he called his wife.

"Mattie, see here, have you time to read this? Wait! Have you nerve
for it? It will not help you. It is not good news nor encouraging
news, and it comes at a hard time; and yet I don't know. We can bear
any news, can't we, now that Johnnie is really better?"

With this introduction she read the letter, and the keen, clear gray
eye seemed to grow stronger as she read.

"Well," she said, "it is not such _very_ bad news; nothing, at least,
but what you ministers ought to be used to. We can go. There is work
in the world yet, I suppose."

"Work in the Lord's vineyard, Mattie, for _us_, if he wants us. If
not, why then there is rest."

Shall I tell you about that breaking up? about how the ties of love,
and friendship, and sympathy were severed? You do not think that the
whole church spoke through that letter? Bless you, no. Even Mrs. Dr.
Matthews cried about it, and said it was a perfect shame, and _she_
didn't know what the officers meant. For her part, she thought they
would never have such another pastor as Dr. Selmser. And I may as
well tell you, in passing, that she did what she could to cripple the
usefulness of the next one by comparing him day and night, in season
and out of season, with "dear Dr. Selmser." There are worse people in
the world than Mrs. Dr. Matthews.

Did he stay all winter and look about him and decide what to do? You
know better than that. He sent his resignation in the very next
Sabbath; and some of those letter-writers were hurt, and thought he
had more Christian principle than that; and thought that ministers,
of all men, should not be so hasty in their acts. It showed a bad
spirit.

_They_ went home after that--Dr. Selmser and his wife--to _her_
mother's home. So many people have _her_ mother's home to go to.
Blessed mothers! He was so glad to get to her. He neede