the elder and weaker had retained her own
sweetness partly because of her weakness. But who can say that either
of them were other than good women,--good according to such lights
as had been lit for their guidance? But now the younger was stanch
to her old lessons while the elder was leaving them. The elder was
leaving them, not by force of her own reason, but under the necessity
of coming in contact with the world which was brought upon her by the
vitality and instincts of her younger child. This difficulty she had
sought to master, once and for ever, by a reference to her clergyman.
What had been the result of that reference the reader already knows.

"Mother," said Mrs. Prime, very solemnly, "is this young man such a
one as you would have chosen for Rachel's husband six months ago?"

"I never wished to choose any man for her husband," said Mrs. Ray. "I
don't think you ought to talk to me in that way, Dorothea."

"I don't know in what other way to talk to you. I cannot be
indifferent on such a subject as this. When you tell me, and that
before Rachel herself, that you have given this young man leave to
come and see her whenever he pleases."

"I never said anything of the kind, Dorothea."

"Did you not, mother? I am sure I understood you so."

"I said he had come to ask leave, and that I should be glad to see
him when he did come, but I didn't say anything of having told him
so. I didn't tell him anything of the kind; did I, Rachel? But I know
he will come, and I don't see why he shouldn't. And if he does, I
can't turn him out. He took his tea here quite like a steady young
man. He drank three large cups; and if, as Rachel says, he always
goes to church regularly, I don't know why we are to judge him and
say that he's anything out of the way."

"I have not judged him, mother."

Then Rachel spoke out, and we may say that it was needful that she
should do so. This offering of her heart had been discussed in her
presence in a manner that had been very painful to her, though the
persons discussing it had been her own mother and her own sister. But
in truth she had been so much affected by what had been said, there
had been so much in it that was first joyful and then painful to her,
that she had not hitherto been able to repress her emotions so as to
acquire the power of much speech. But she had struggled, and now so
far succeeded as to be able to come to her mother's support.

"I don't know, mamma, why anybody s