lf believe it;
but Timothy's an awful sensitive creeter, 'n' when he come to that
answer to the question 'What are you then by nature? An enemy to God, a
child of Satan, and an heir of hell,' he hid his head on my shoulder and
bust right out cryin'. 'How many Gods is there?' s' e, after a spell.
'Land!' thinks I, 'I knew he was a heathen, but if he turns out to be an
idolater, whatever shall I do with him!' 'Why, where've you ben fetched
up?' s' I. 'There's only one God, the High and Mighty Ruler of the
Univarse,' s' I. 'Well,' s' e', 'there must be more 'n one, for the God
in this lesson isn't like the one in Miss Dora's book at all!' Land
sakes! I don't want to teach catechism agin in a hurry, not tell I've
hed a little spiritual instruction from the minister. The fact is,
Vildy, that our b'liefs, when they're picked out o' the Bible and set
down square and solid 'thout any softening down 'n' explainin' that they
ain't so bad as they sound, is too strong meat for babes. Now I'm
Orthodox to the core" (here she lowered her voice as if there might be a
stray deacon in the garden), "but 'pears to me if I was makin' out
lessons for young ones I wouldn't fill 'em so plumb full o' brimstun.
Let 'em do a little suthin' to deserve it 'fore you scare 'em to death,
say I."

"Jabe explained it all out to him after supper. It beats all how he gets
on with children."

"I'd ruther hear how he explained it," answered Samantha sarcastically.
"He's great on expoundin' the Scripters jest now. Well, I hope it'll
last. Land sakes! you'd think nobody ever experienced religion afore,
he's so set up 'bout it. You'd s'pose he kep' the latch-key o' the
heavenly mansions right in his vest pocket, to hear him go on. He
couldn't be no more stuck up 'bout it if he'd ben one o' the two
brothers that come over in three ships!"

"There goes Elder Nichols," said Miss Vilda. "Now there's a plan we
hadn't thought of. We might take the children over to Purity Village. I
think likely the Shakers would take 'em. They like to get young folks
and break 'em into their doctrines."

"Tim 'd make a tiptop Shaker," laughed Samantha. "He'd be an Elder afore
he was twenty-one. I can seem to see him now, with his hair danglin'
long in his neck, a blue coat buttoned up to his chin, and his hands
see-sawin' up 'n' down, prancin' round in them solemn dances."

"Tim would do well enough, but I ain't so sure of Gay. They'd have their
hands full, I guess!"

"I gue