n there came a cracking and loosening of timbers; and we that
stood nearest had only time to jump out of the way, when down came the
steeple crashing to the ground, with Jedwort in it."

"I hope it killed the cuss," said one of the village story-tellers.

"Worse than that," replied my friend; "it just cracked his skull--not
enough to put an end to his miserable life, but only to take away what
little sense he had. We got the doctors to him, and they patched up his
broken head; and, by George, it made me mad to see the fuss the women
folks made over him. It would have been my way to let him die; but
they were as anxious and attentive to him as if he had been the kindest
husband and most indulgent father that ever lived; for that's women's
style: they're unreasoning creatures.

"Along toward morning, we persuaded Mrs. Jedwort, who had been up all
night, to lie down a spell and catch a little rest, while Maria and I
sat up and watched with the old man. All was still except our whispers
and his heavy breathing; there was a lamp burning in the next room; when
all of a sudden a light shone into the windows, and about the same time
we heard a roaring and crackling sound. We looked out, and saw the night
all lighted up, as if by some great fire. As it appeared to be on the
other side of the house, we ran to the door, and there what did we see
but the old meeting-house all in flames! Some fellows had set fire to it
to spite Jedwort. It must have been burning some time inside; for when
we looked out the flames had burst through the roof.

"As the night was perfectly still, except a light wind blowing away from
the other buildings on the place, we raised no alarm, but just stood
in the door and saw it burn. And a glad sight it was to us, you may
be sure. I just held Maria close to my side, and told her that all was
well--it was the best thing that could happen. 'O yes,' says she, 'it
seems to me as though a kind Providence was burning up his sin and home
out of our sight.

"I had never yet said anything to her about marriage--for the time to
come at that had never seemed to arrive; but there's nothing like a
little excitement to bring things to a focus. You've seen water in a
tumbler just at the freezing-point, but not exactly able to make up its
mind to freeze, when a little jar will set the crystals forming, and in
a minute what was liquid is ice. It was the shock of events that night
that touched my life into crystals--not