still more miserable.

"Oh," she added, shuddering at the contemplation of this grievous sin,
from which her pure soul recoiled, "the Father knew the weakness of our
common nature when He taught us the daily prayer to avert temptation."

CHAPTER XIV.

"I declare!" said Mrs. Wynn, looking up from the gilt frames in Mrs.
Swan's parlor, "the changes that have been going on in Waveland do beat
everything. Only think of it! Why, the town hasn't been so lively for
years before. There used to be only an occasional wedding or
christening, or funeral; and now, strange faces that no one knows
anything about, meet you at every turn."

"Oh, I don't know about that!" said Mrs. Swan. "There has only been one
or two arrivals here; that new family who brought out the Burtons, and
the new minister and his wife. By-the-bye, they say he married her just
before he came here, and that she was a widow."

"Yes, I know that," replied the old lady. "I heard the report, and,
thinkin' it was only natural that we should be a leetle curious about a
woman who was a goin' to give tone to our society, I made bold to ask
her about it. She put her handkercher to her eyes, and cried the least
bit, when she spoke of her former pardner. 'Dear soul,' she said, 'he's
in Heaven, but the Lord's got work for me to do in this world yet,
Sister Wynn.' She's a leetle too dressy, and I'm most afraid will set
the young folks here an example of extravagance; but I believe she
means well, and expects to do her whole duty."

"Well, I shall wait for her works to prove her disposition," said Mrs.
Swan. "I believe that 'actions speak louder than words.' I'll admit that
Arguseye _talks_ well--she's a gift that way; but I ain't drawn to her
as I was to the dear motherly saint that has left us."

"No, you can't expect another like her. I don't know what the old Elder
will do, now; but it won't be long before he'll follow her, in my
opinion," was the rejoinder.

"She's gone to that happy land where the wicked can never enter," spoke
up Betsey Pryor, who had been industriously stitching away during this
dialogue.

"It's a good thing to realize that, Betsey," said Mrs. Wynn, slyly. "I'm
glad you've found out the danger of evil communications."

"Don't say another word," said the spinster, showing signs of dissolving
in tears. "I've learnt a lesson this past summer I shall never forget."

"I don't wonder that you feel so," rejoined Mrs. Wynn, smiling grimly.