ever experienced the
meaning of that word," said Ester briskly, rejoiced at the prospect of
going anywhere.

"Well, then, I shall carry you off to our Thursday evening
prayer-meeting--it's just _our_ meeting, you see--we teachers in the
mission--there are fifty of us, and we do have the most delightful
times. It is like a family--rather a large family, perhaps you
think--but it doesn't seem so when we come on Sabbath, from the great
congregation, and gather in our dear little chapel--we seem like a
company of brothers and sisters, shutting ourselves in at home, to
talk and pray together for a little, before we go out into the world
again. Is Thursday your regular prayer-meeting evening, Ester?"

Now it would have been very difficult for Ester to tell when _her_
regular prayer-meeting evening was, as it was so long ago that she
grew out of the habit of regularly attending, that now she scarcely
ever gave it a thought. But she had sufficient conscience left to be
ashamed of this state of things, and to understand that Abbie referred
to the church prayer-meeting, so she answered simply--"No; Wednesday."

"That is our church prayer-meeting night. I missed it last evening
because I wanted to welcome you. And Tuesday is our Bible-class
night."

"Do you give three evenings a week to religious meetings, Abbie?"

"Yes," said Abbie with softly glee; "isn't it splendid? I appreciate
my privileges, I assure you; so many people _could not_ do it."

"And so many people _would not_" Ester thought.

So they were not in to dinner with the family, but took theirs an hour
earlier; and with David, whom Abbie called her body-guard, for escort,
made their way to Abbie's dear little chapel, which proved to be a
good-sized church, very prettily finished and furnished.

That meeting, from first to last, was a succession of surprises to
Ester, commencing with the leader, and being announced to Abbie in
undertone:

"Your minister is the very man who spoke to me yesterday in the
depot."

Abbie nodded and smiled her surprise at this information; and Ester
looked about her. Presently another whisper:

"Why, Abbie, there is the blue-ribboned girl I told you about, sitting
in the third seat from the front."

"That," said Abbie, looking and whispering back, "is Fanny Ames; one
of our teachers."

Presently Ester set to work to select Mr. Foster from the rows of
young men who were rapidly filling the front seats in the left aisle.

"I