ere going there."

"I went to ask him for advice."

"Oh."

"As I was in much doubt, I thought it right to go to the clergyman of
my parish."

"I don't think much about parishes myself. Mr. Comfort is an old
man now, and I fear he does not give himself up to the Gospel as he
used to do. If people were called upon to bind themselves down to
parishes, what would those poor creatures do who have over them such
a pastor as Dr. Harford?"

"Dr. Harford is a very good man, I believe," said Rachel, "and he
keeps two curates."

"I'm afraid, Rachel, you know but little about it. He does keep two
curates,--but what are they? They go to cricket-matches, and among
young women with bows and arrows! If you had really wanted advice,
mamma, I would sooner have heard that you had gone to Mr. Prong."

"But I didn't go to Mr. Prong, my dear;--and I don't mean. Mr. Prong
is all very well, I dare say, but I've known Mr. Comfort for nearly
thirty years, and I don't like sudden changes." Then Mrs. Ray stirred
her tea with rather a quick motion of her hand. Rachel said not a
word, but her mother's sharp speech and spirited manner was very
pleasant to her. She was quite contented now that Mr. Comfort should
be regarded as the family counsellor. She remembered how well she had
loved Mr. Comfort always, and thought of days when Patty Comfort had
been very good-natured to her as a child.

"Oh, very well," said Mrs. Prime. "Of course, mamma, you must judge
for yourself."

"Yes, my dear, I must; or rather, as I didn't wish to trust my own
judgment, I went to Mr. Comfort for advice. He says that he sees no
harm in Rachel going to this party."

"Party! what party?" almost screamed Mrs. Prime. Mrs. Ray had
forgotten that nothing had as yet been said to Dorothea about the
invitation.

"Mrs. Tappitt is going to give a party at the brewery," said Rachel,
in her very softest voice, "and she has asked me."

"And you are going? You mean to let her go?" Mrs. Prime had asked
two questions, and she received two answers. "Yes," said Rachel; "I
suppose I shall go, as mamma says so." "Mr. Comfort says there is no
harm in it," said Mrs. Ray; "and Mrs. Butler Cornbury is to come from
the parsonage to take her up." All question as to Dorcas discipline
to be inflicted daily upon Rachel on account of that sin of which
she had been guilty in standing under the elms with a young man was
utterly lost in this terrible proposition! Instead of being sent to
M