. They had come in at once. It was even whispered that Maria
Upjohn had in an incautious moment confessed that she preferred the
litany to Mr. Webb's spontaneous effusions, and had been summarily sat
upon by her mother, whose Bible contained an eleventh commandment
curiously omitted from the twentieth chapter of Exodus in other versions,
and reading: "Thou shalt not become an Episcopalian, and if possible,
thou shalt not be born one." Then there were Nellie Atterbury, and Janet
Mudge, and Polly and Mattie Dexter; there certainly was no lack of active
young teachers for the Sunday-school, and Phebe was well content to
remain passively aside, as of old. But, as Mrs. Lane remarked, there were
no drones allowed in Mr. Halloway's hive, and before long Phebe found
herself insensibly drawn in to be one of the workers too, with any
amount of business growing upon her hands, and herself, under this new
and wise guidance, becoming more and more capable for it every day.

"A new broom sweeps clean," remarked Mrs. Upjohn, contemptuously, as she
heard of the stir and life in St. Joseph's heretofore-dull little parish.
"For my part, I would rather have Mr. White back--if he weren't dead. He
was a good, sensible old man, who knew his place, and was contented to
let his Church simmer in the background, where it belongs. _He_ didn't go
flaunting his white gown in people's faces every Saint's day he could
trump up, let alone the Wednesday and Friday services. Who's Mr.
Halloway? What does anybody know about him beyond that the Bishop
recommended him, as if a Bishop must know what's what better than other
people, forsooth! Don't tell me!" said Mrs. Upjohn, in unutterable scorn.
"He's a new broom, and he's raising a big dust, and I would liefer have
Mr. White back and let the dust lie,--that's all!"

But the Joppites were far from sharing Mrs. Upjohn's sentiments. Mr.
Halloway did, it is true, belong to the wrong Church, but there was a
strong suspicion among them that neither had this man sinned, nor his
parents, that he was born to so grievous a fate. It was rather his
misfortune. And as for the rest, he was thoroughly a gentleman; was
excellently well educated; and was, moreover, comely to look upon, and
eminently agreeable in his bearing. No; Joppa was far from begrudging Mr.
White his departure to the land of the blessed. It was time the good old
man went to his reward, they said.

And as to Mrs. Whittridge, Mr. Halloway's sister, wh