his world, so too our kingdom is
not of this world."

"I think you will admit, George," said Lady Atherley, as we left the
church, "that you have had a good sermon to-day."

"Yes, indeed," heartily assented Atherley. "It was excellent. Your uncle
certainly knows his business, which is more than can be said of most
preachers. It was a really splendid performance. But who on earth was he
talking about--those wonderful people who don't care for money or
success, or the best of everything generally? I never met any like
them."

"My dear George! How extraordinary you are! Any one could see, I should
have thought, that he meant Christians."

Atherley and the children walked home while we waited for the Canon, who
stayed behind to exchange a few words in the vestry with his old
schoolfellow, Mr. Jackson.

As we drove home he made, aloud, some reflections, probably suggested by
the difference between their positions.

"It really grieves me to see Jackson where he is at his age. He deserves
a better living. He is an excellent fellow, and not without ability, but
wanting, unfortunately, in tact and _savoir-faire_. He always had an
unhappy knack of blurting out the truth in season and out of season. I
did my best to get him a good living once--a first-rate living--in Sir
John Marsh's gift; and I warned him before he went to lunch with Sir
John to be careful what he said. 'Sir John,' I said, 'is one of the old
school; he thinks the Squire is pope of the parish, and you will have to
humour him a little. He will talk a great deal of nonsense in this
strain, and be careful not to contradict him, for he can't bear it.'
But Jackson did contradict him--flatly; he told me so himself, and, of
course, Sir John would have nothing to say to him. 'But he made such
extravagant statements,' said Jackson. 'If I had kept quiet he would
have thought I agreed with him.'--'What did that matter?' I said. 'Once
you were vicar you could have shown him you didn't.'--'The truth is,'
said Jackson, 'I cannot sit by and hear black called white without
protesting.' That is Jackson all over! A man of that kind will never get
on. And then, such an imprudent marriage--a woman without a penny!"

"I have never seen any one who wore such extraordinary bonnets," said
Lady Atherley.

"Who was that young man who bowed to the altar and crossed himself?"
asked the Canon.

"I suppose that must be Mr. Austyn, curate in charge at Rood Warren. He
comes over to h