grace of manner, her perfect observance of all the rules
and courtesies of polite society in her intercourse with them, had
produced its legitimate fruit; had instinctively inclined them to be
able to treat her with the same sort of grace which she freely and
everywhere bestowed on them.

Had she not met them on the street, in the very heart of Broadway when
she was walking with some of her fashionable friends? Had she not taken
pains to recognize them with a specially cordial bow, and if near
enough, with a deliberate speaking of their names, being sure to
slightly emphasize the unusual prefix "Mr."

These and a hundred other kindred trifles, so small that they are not
noted among the qualifications for Sabbath-school teachers, so powerful
for good, that they often turn the current of a human life, had been
carefully regarded by Flossy, and to-night she was triumphant over her
success. She had not only helped her boys to be true to their
convictions of right and dignity, not only to take on true manliness of
decision in regard to the all important question of personal religion,
she had helped them to be gentlemen. There is many a faithful teacher to
whom, thinking of these minor matters, it might be said:

"These ought ye to have done, and not to have left the other undone."

From first to last, Flossy's party was a success. To Ruth and Marion it
was a study, developing certain curious features which they never
forgot. Marion had her own private bit of interest that not another
present, save Gracie Dennis knew about. She was not a party goer. Even
so small a gathering as this, was new to her. She looked upon all these
people with a keen interest; many of them she was meeting for the first
time. That is, she was being introduced to them, and receiving their
kindly greetings; for Flossy had succeeded in gathering only those, who
whatever they might think of her choice of guests, were much too well
bred to exhibit other than pleasure while they were her guests.

But only Marion knew that she was destined to meet these people again,
and probably often, under different circumstances; the probability was
that many of them would be her own guests, would receive and return her
calls, would fall into the habit of consulting her in regard to this or
that matter of church interest that would come up; not one of them
dreamed of such a thing; and when she tried to lead them into
conversation on matters pertaining to the church