restoration to the creed of our Protestant fathers? Do, Mary dear, tell
me the feelings of thy heart! Do, love, comfort me by the assurance
that I have gained thee!"

"Mr. Gulmore," answered the good child, "I thought you had long since
ceased visiting us, and we hoped never again to be annoyed by your
ministrations. Your conduct in combining with my step-sister here, in
conjunction with the late postmaster of S----, to prevent Paul from
holding correspondence, has disgusted, not only me, but even father,
beyond the limits of reconciliation; and whatever I may think of your
religion, be assured I have no two opinions about yourself."

"O, she is lost, I greatly fear! Fallen is an angel from heaven! Save,
save, O Lord!" cried the parson, as Mary Prying rose up from her seat
and left the room.

The foregoing rebuke of the spirited girl brought this craven-hearted
dominie at once to his senses, and during the remainder of the evening
he was more rational in conduct and discourse, seeing that Mary was the
darling of her father, who would allow the parson to make no reflections
on the motives that actuated her in the steps she was about to take.

"I am afraid, parson," said Murty, breaking the embarrassing silence
that continued for a few minutes, "I am afraid the lady has eluded the
forceful grasp of your powerful prayer. I guess she will become a nun,
too, notwithstanding your great efforts to make her sing

"But I won't be a nun; I can't be a nun;
I'm so fond of pleasure that I can't be a nun."

"I greatly fear, yer riverince," said he, affecting the broadest Irish
brogue, "y'ill have to phray a great deal yet afore you convart her from
her resolution."

"We must submit to the decree of the Lord in all that he has planned
from the beginning of the world, Murty," said the parson, resignedly.

"Think the Lord has decreed Mary for the nunnery, reverend and learned
sir?" said Murty, affecting great politeness.

"Not exactly, Murty; but the Lord, by his inscrutable decree before the
creation, has passed sentence on all accountable beings: some he has
delivered over to irremediable wrath, and others he has predestined to
glory and bliss eternal; and no efforts of men can reverse these
irrevocable decrees."

"O, dreadful!" said Murty. "I always heard that God willed all men to be
saved; that it was in every man's power to avoid evil, and do good; that
the giving of the commandments supposed the perfect libert