ions of chords which started out under his
fingers. Surely he had a right to something in addition to his limited
salary, and this innocent, unsuspected entertainment helped to make up
the balance for his many labors.

His sister was one of the best-hearted and most unsuspicious of the
class of female idolaters, and worshiped her brother with the most
undoubting faith and devotion--wholly ignorant of the constant amusement
she gave him by a thousand little feminine peculiarities, which struck
him with a continual sense of oddity. It was infinitely diverting to him
to see the solemnity of her interest in his shirts and stockings, and
Sunday clothes, and to listen to the subtle distinctions which she would
draw between best and second-best, and every-day; to receive her
somewhat prolix admonition how he was to demean himself in respect of
the wearing of each one; for Miss Emily Sewell was a gentlewoman, and
held rigidly to various traditions of gentility which had been handed
down in the Sewell family, and which afforded her brother too much quiet
amusement to be disturbed. He would not have overthrown one of her
quiddities for the world; it would be taking away a part of his capital
in existence.

Miss Emily was a trim, genteel little person, with dancing black eyes,
and cheeks which had the roses of youth well dried into them. It was
easy to see that she had been quite pretty in her days; and her neat
figure, her brisk little vivacious ways, her unceasing good-nature and
kindness of heart, still made her an object both of admiration and
interest in the parish. She was great in drying herbs and preparing
recipes; in knitting and sewing, and cutting and contriving; in saving
every possible snip and chip either of food or clothing; and no less
liberal was she in bestowing advice and aid in the parish, where she
moved about with all the sense of consequence which her brother's
position warranted.

The fact of his bachelorhood caused his relations to the female part of
his flock to be even more shrouded in sacredness and mystery than is
commonly the case with the great man of the parish; but Miss Emily
delighted to act as interpreter. She was charmed to serve out to the
willing ears of his parish from time to time such scraps of information
as regarded his life, habits, and opinions as might gratify their ever
new curiosity. Instructed by her, all the good wives knew the difference
between his very best long silk stocking