he does because he thinks it
is right, not because other people do it."

The doctor laughed again; evidently he was not so sure of the Bishop.
Then, with a pleasant smile to Charlotte, the doctor went away, just
turning back for a moment to say, "I saw your old friend, Mrs. Hannah
More's doctor, in consultation this morning, and he incidentally
mentioned that she was failing rather visibly. Have you seen her of
late?"

"I am going there this afternoon," Joyce said. "I want so much to see
her."

"I would not delay," the doctor said, significantly, and then he was
gone.

After the first greeting. Piers dragged Joyce off to his den, to show
her a beautiful specimen of quartz, of which he had possessed himself
the day before for a mere trifle.

And then he had diagrams to show her, which he had drawn, of several
crystals, as seen through the microscope; and then he divulged the
doctor's plan, that he should prepare a good many of such diagrams for
him to use at a lecture he was to give in the Bristol Museum, some
evening in the course of the coming winter.

I do not think there is any quality more attractive than that, which
Joyce possessed in a remarkable degree, of throwing herself--not
superficially, as Gratian did, but really and heartily--into the
interests of other people.

[Illustration: Clifton and the Avon.]

Any one watching her face as she bent over Piers' treasures, and
examined his drawings, would have scarcely believed that she was the
mother of four children, to whom she was devoted.

Piers was seated at his table, and she was standing over him, with one
hand upon his shoulder, while, with the other, she now and then stroked
back his hair, as in old days.

It is strange to think how the quiet, happy life of home, and home
interests may go on, while the storm of political strife, and religious
controversy rages without. It was thus with Sir Thomas Browne, the
philosopher and physician, of Norwich, who produced his great work, the
"Religio Medici," when England stood on the eve of the greatest storm,
which ever burst over her. It was thus with many less distinguished and
simple souls, who went about their accustomed duties and pleasures, and
took up their daily burden of cares and toil, and gave but little heed
to the jarring elements without.

Presently Joyce said: "I must go to mother now and get ready for dinner.
How has mother been lately?"

"Oh! very well," Piers said. "She does not _care_