ed into the ears of the Lord of Sabbath.'

Three days after, the Curate was very much amazed to hear that Mr. and
Mrs. Shepherd did not choose to be preached at in their own church, and
never meant to come thither again. Now it so happened that he could
testify that the sermon had been written five years ago, and that his
brother had preached it without knowing that the Shepherds were in
existence, for he had only come late the night before, and there was so
much to say about their home, that the younger brother had not said a
word about his parish before church, though the Kings and their guests
were very near his heart.

But it was of no use to say so. It was the _truth_ that wounded the
farmer and his wife, and no one could make that otherwise. They did not
choose to hear their sin rebuked, so they made an excuse by pretending to
take offence, and except when they now and then went to the next parish
to a meeting-house, cut themselves off from all that might disturb them
in the sole pursuit of gain. It is awful to think of such hardening of
the heart, first towards man, then towards the warnings of God.

And mind, whoever chooses profit rather than mercy, is in the path of
Farmer Shepherd.

Some certainty as to Lady Jane Selby's feelings came on the second
evening of Paul's illness. Mrs. Crabbe, the housekeeper, was seen with
infinite trouble and disgust getting her large person over the stiles
across the path fields. A call from her was almost a greater event than
one from my Lady herself. Why! Mother had been her still-room maid, and
always spoke to her as 'Ma'am,' and she called her 'Mary,' and she had
chosen Matilda's name for her, and had given her a silver watch!

So when Mrs. Crabbe had found her way in, and had been set down to rest
in the arm-chair, she proceeded to give 'Mary' a good round scolding
against being weak and soft-hearted, saying at last that my Lady was
quite in a way about it. She was sure that Harold would catch his death
of cold, putting him to sleep in the kitchen, upon the stones--and so--my
Lady had sent off the cart with the little chair-bed, that would take
down and put up again--mattress, bed-clothes, and all.

That was a comfortable finish to the scolding! Not that it was a finish
though, for the thanks made Mrs. Crabbe afraid the family thought
themselves forgiven, so she went on to declare they all would be pinched,
and get into debt, and she should advise her god-dau