that, whatever the
reason might be, it _was_ just so. On Sunday every thing was later and
more irregular than any other day in the week.

"Hannah, you must boil that piece of beef for dinner to-day."

"I thought you told me you did not have cooking done on Sunday."

"No, I do not, generally. I am very sorry Mr. Roberts would get that
piece of meat yesterday. We did not need it; but here it is on our
hands; the weather is too hot to keep it. It won't do to let it spoil;
so I must have it boiled, for aught I see."

Hannah had lived four Sabbaths with Mrs. Roberts, and on two of them she
had been required to cook from similar reasoning. "_For once_" is apt,
in such cases, to become a phrase of very extensive signification.

"It really worries me to have things go on so as they do on Sundays,"
said Mrs. Roberts to her husband. "I never do feel as if we kept Sunday
as we ought."

"My dear, you have been saying so ever since we were married, and I do
not see what you are going to do about it. For my part I do not see why
we do not do as well as people in general. We do not visit, nor receive
company, nor read improper books. We go to church, and send the children
to Sunday school, and so the greater part of the day is spent in a
religious way. Then out of church we have the children's Sunday school
books, and one or two religious newspapers. I think that is quite
enough."

"But, somehow, when I was a child, my mother----" said Mrs. Roberts,
hesitating.

"O my dear, your mother must not be considered an exact pattern for
these days. People were too strict in your mother's time; they carried
the thing too far, altogether; every body allows it now."

Mrs. Roberts was silenced, but not satisfied. A strict religious
education had left just conscience enough on this subject to make her
uneasy.

These worthy people had a sort of general idea that Sunday ought to be
kept, and they intended to keep it; but they had never taken the trouble
to investigate or inquire as to the most proper way, nor was it so much
an object of interest that their weekly arrangements were planned with
any reference to it. Mr. Roberts would often engage in business at the
close of the week, which he knew would so fatigue him that he would be
weary and listless on Sunday; and Mrs. Roberts would allow her family
cares to accumulate in the same way, so that she was either wearied with
efforts to accomplish it before the Sabbath, or perplexed and wo