ent. One was Gregson's,
the other was Walter's; and then two hands clutched the legs of the
stool, and the preacher was pitched head-foremost into the sand. A roar
of mirth followed this performance, but it soon gave place to cries of
"Shame! shame!" Then there was a lull, and then a profound silence, as
the good man who had been so cruelly used planted his feet firmly among
the shingles, and said in a clear and unfaltering voice, "My friends,
may the Lord forgive these misguided young men for their uncalled-for
and unprovoked interference and ridicule! But their malice shall not
stop the good work. Here I stand to preach God's truth; and here I mean
to stand, if the Lord will, every day during the season, opposition or
no opposition, persecution or no persecution. Let us sing another verse
of a hymn." Amidst the profoundest stillness, and evidently with the
hearty sympathy of the bulk of his hearers, the good evangelist
proceeded with his holy work.

"Come along! come along!" whispered Gregson, creeping round to Walter,
who had now regained his sister, and was feeling heartily ashamed of
himself. They all hastened back to the hotel. Walter was now
thoroughly subdued, and with a very cold leave-taking of his former
friends, he and his sister sought their horses, and made the best of
their way to the cottage, exchanging but few words as they rode along.
Such was the shameful and sorrowful ending of what had promised to be a
very happy day.

And now, when Mrs Huntingdon had been a few days established in the
cottage, by her own earnest request, and with the hearty concurrence of
her children, their aunt came over to spend a little time with them.
This she could the more easily do as her brother was fully occupied with
his endeavours to secure the return of the candidate whose politics he
agreed with. Surely there can be few, who have a large circle of
relations of different degrees of nearness, who have not among these
some pre-eminently special ones who draw to themselves a more than
ordinary share of affection from all their kindred--a special sister, or
brother, or cousin, who does not however, make others less loved, while
being the privileged object of a peculiarly tender regard. Such a
special aunt was Miss Huntingdon to all her nephews and nieces. A visit
from her was everywhere hailed with rejoicing. And so now every heart
was glad when she joined the little party at the sea-side cottage. To
Mrs Hu