kfast.

"Sam has told you one story, girls," said my Aunt Kezia, "and I will
tell you another. You will find the singers changed when you go to
church. Dan Oldfield and Susan Nixon are gone."

"Dan and Susan!" cried Hatty. "The two best voices in the gallery!"

"Well, you know, under old Mr Digby, there always used to be an anthem
before the service began, in which Dan and Susan did their best to show
off. The second week that Mr Liversedge was here, he stopped the
anthem. Up started the singers, and told him they would not stand it.
It wasn't worth their while coming just for the psalms. Mr Liversedge
heard them out quietly, and then said,--`Do you mean what you have just
said?' Yes, to be sure they meant it. `Then consider yourselves
dismissed from the gallery without more words,' says he. `You are not
worthy to sing the praises of Him before whom multitudes of angels veil
their faces. Not worth your while to praise God!--but worth your while
to show man what fine voices He gave you whom you think scorn to thank
for it!' And he turned them off there and then."

The next time I was alone with Sophy, she said to me, with tears in her
eyes,--"Cary, I don't want you to reckon me worse than I am. That is
bad enough, in all conscience. I would have knelt down with Annie
Crosthwaite, and so, I am sure, would my Aunt Kezia; but it was while
she was up in London with you, and Father was so poorly with the gout, I
could not leave him. You see there was nobody to take my place, with
all of you away. Please don't fancy I was one of those that refused,
for indeed it was not so."

"I fancy you are a dear, good Sophy," said I, kissing her; "and I
suppose, if Mr Liversedge asked you to shake hands with a chimney-sweep
just come down the chimney, you would be delighted to do it."

"Well, perhaps I might," said Sophy, laughing. "But that, Cary, I
should have done, not for him, but for our Master."

I found that I liked Mr Liversedge very much, as one would wish to like
a brother-in-law that was to be. His whole heart seems to be in his
Lord's work: and if, perhaps, he is a little sharp and abrupt at times,
I think it is simply because he sees everything quickly and distinctly,
and speaks as he sees. I was afraid he would have something of the pope
about him, but I find he is not like that at all. He lets you alone for
all mere differences of opinion, though he will talk them over with you
readily if he sees th