r husband and Elsie went into Boston and selected a rich and warm fur
coat, fur-lined gloves and overshoes, and three warm, dark-colored
serge dresses which were a great improvement upon the wrappers. On the
day after she received them, Mrs. Middleton spent two hours on the
porch with ill-concealed delight. And, thereafter, rising and
breakfasting with the others, she passed the whole of every forenoon
out-of-doors, not only with beneficial results but with continued
enjoyment.

The sentimental aspect, of course, appealed to her strongly. Sometimes
she pleased herself by fancying that the doctor had discovered that one
of her lungs was quite gone and the other a mere fragment, and feared
to tell her. On such days her voice was feeble but breathed the same
sweet patience that her face wore. Again, it was her heart "outwearing
its sheath," as she put it. Always, however, she felt herself an
interesting and picturesque invalid, and her martyr-like expression
scarcely disguised her enjoyment of the role.

Unconsciously, her somewhat torpid mental powers quickened. The house
being on the main highway, there was always something to look at
against the background of the beautiful common, and she conceived a
vivid interest in the passing show. An active in lieu of a passive
mind did its part in the improvement of her health. The tables were
turned. Now it was she who told Kate that the Berrys had a fine new
motor-truck, and had apparently disposed of their dappled greys to the
grain-man--she only wished _they_ traded with the grain-man--couldn't
one buy oatmeal of him? And Rachel Stewart actually had a new dress in
which she looked very trim, though it was too long right in the back.
Perhaps Elsie could speak to her about it at the library? Little
Robbie Caldwell had begun to go to school alone since the new baby had
come. And they had a new perambulator and had given the old one to the
Howes, which would make it easier for little Mattie.

People passing began to run up and ask the minister's wife how she did.
She was never very well; but she was so sweetly patient and so truly
grateful that they lingered and their visits became frequent; children
came on Saturdays and made children's long flattering stays; and
presently there was never a morning when she did not have some one, and
often she was not alone at all. And thus it came about that for the
first time she came to know many of her husband's parishioners w