a good deal of
enjoyment in their society."

"They seem very intelligent and agreeable people; but I can't doubt
Sister Arguseye's positive assertion. A minister's wife couldn't lie,"
said the elder lady, in a tone that showed deep conviction of an
unpleasant truth. "There is but one way to find out; to go and state the
facts, and have the truth elicited."

"But who is to do it?" asked Mrs. Swan. "_I_ can't."

"Are you equal to the emergency, Betsey?" asked. Mrs. Wynn.

"I believe I possess the Christian fortitude to do my duty, however
disagreeable it may be," replied that personage, with the air of a
martyr being led to the stake.

"There, it is settled," said the old lady. "We will go together"--which
they did that very day.

Pretty little Mrs. Garnet had finished her work for the day, donned a
fresh calico that fitted her plump form without a wrinkle, and sat
crooning a soft lullaby to that objectionable baby, when they entered.
She welcomed the ladies hospitably, but eyed askance their sombre and
awful countenances.

"It's a pleasant day," she said, by way of starting conversation.

"There's _nothing_ pleasant to me, in this wicked world," said Miss
Pryor, dolorously.

"How is your rheumatism, Mrs. Wynn?" she asked again, after a prolonged
silence, hoping better success from this question regarding that worthy
lady's manifold ailments.

"It's heavenly in comparison with the state of my mind," was the
unlooked-for response.

Then there was another dreadful pause, broken at length by the elder of
the group. "I've a revelation to make, neighbor, that is of such a
nature that I shudder to speak upon the subject, and which closely
concerns more than one person in this immediate vicinity."

Thereupon the good lady proceeded to unfold the story that had emanated
from the minister's wife, in regard to the deplorable state of the
morals of these new-comers in the quiet village.

Instead of being shocked at the recital, and literally extinguished, as
she undoubtedly ought to have been, by the knowledge that her former
little peccadillos had come to light, the bright-eyed hostess burst out
laughing in the very faces of the lugubrious guests.

"It's turned out as I expected," she said, at last, when she had done
laughing. "Now, ladies, so far as these slanderous reports concern
myself, I care very little about them, for I can refute them by
bringing convincing proof to the contrary." Thus saying, she rose, an