infection, and did not want to commit himself. So he
turned to Mrs. Anderson. She answered like a seraph every question put
to her--the conventional questions never pierce the armor of a hypocrite
or startle the conscience of a self-deceiver. Mr. Hall congratulated her
in his most official tone (a compound of authority, awfulness, and
sanctity) on her deep experience of the things that made for her
everlasting peace. He told her that people of her high attainments
must beware of spiritual pride. And Mrs. Anderson took the warning with
beautiful meekness, sinking into forty fathoms of undisguised and rather
ostentatious humility, heaving solemn sighs in token of self-reproach--a
self-reproach that did not penetrate the cuticle.

[Illustration: A PASTORAL VISIT.]

"And you, Sister Cynthy Ann," he said, fighting shy of Jonas for the
present, "I trust you are trying to let your light shine. Do you feel
that you are pressing on?"

Poor Cynthy Ann sank into a despondency deeper than usual. She was
afeard not. Seemed like as ef her heart was cold and dead to God. Seemed
like as ef she couldn't no ways gin up the world. It weighed her down
like a rock, and many was the fight she had with the enemy. No, she
wuzn't getting on.

"My dear sister," said Mr. Hall, "let me warn you. Here is Mrs.
Anderson, who has given up the world entirely. I hope you'll follow so
good an example. Do not be led astray by worldly affections; they are
sure to entrap you. I am afraid you have not maintained your
steadfastness as you should." Here Mr. Hall's eye wandered doubtfully to
Jonas, of whom he felt a little afraid. Jonas, on his part, had no
reason to like Mr. Hall for his advice in Cynthy's love affair, and now
the minister's praises of Mrs. Anderson and condemnation of Cynthy Ann
had not put him in any mood to listen to exhortation.

"Well, Mr. Harrison," said the young minister solemnly, approaching
Jonas much as a dog does a hedgehog, "how do you feel to-day?"

"Middlin' peart, I thank you; how's yourself?"

This upset the good man not a little, and convinced him that Jonas was
in a state of extreme wickedness.

"Are you a Christian?"

"Wal, I 'low I am. How about yourself, Mr. Hall?"

"I believe you are a New Light. Now, do you believe in the Lord Jesus
Christ?" asked the minister in an annihilating tone.

"Yes, I do, my aged friend, a heap sight more'n I do in some of them
that purtends to hev a paytent right on all his blessi