oon."

Celestia's black eyes flashed fire at the speaker, and the sly Ruby said
no more. Indeed, there was no more said about the sermons, for that
they were something for the Merleville people to be proud of, all
agreed. Mr Elliott's preaching had filled the old meeting-house.
People who had never been regular churchgoers came now; some from out of
the town, even. Young Squire Greenleaf, who seemed to have the prospect
of succeeding Judge Merle, as the great man of Merleville, had brought
over the judges from Rixford, and they had dined at the minister's, and
had come to church on Sunday. Young Squire Greenleaf was a triumph of
himself. He had never been at meeting "much, if any," since he had
completed his legal studies. If he ever did go, it was to the Episcopal
church at Rixford, which, to the liberal Mrs Page, looked considerably
like coquetting with the scarlet woman. Now, he hardly ever lost a
Sunday, besides going sometimes to conference meetings, and making
frequent visits to the minister's house. Having put all these things
together, and considered the matter, Mrs Page came to the conclusion,
that the squire was not in so hopeless a condition as she had been wont
to suppose, a fact which, on this occasion, she took the opportunity of
rejoicing over. The rest rejoiced too. There was a murmur of dissent
from Miss Pettimore, but it passed unnoticed, as usual. There was a
gleam which looked a little like scorn, in the black eyes of Miss
Celestia, which said more plainly than Miss Pettimore's words could have
done, that the squire was better now, than the most in Merleville, but
like a wise young person as she was, she expended all her scornful
glances on the shirt sleeve she was making, and said nothing.

The minister was then allowed to rest a little while, and the other
members of the family were discussed, with equal interest. Upon the
whole, the conclusion arrived at was pretty favourable. But Mrs Page
and her friends were not quite satisfied with Graeme. As the minister's
eldest daughter, and "serious," they were disposed to overlook her
youthfulness, and give her a prominent place in their circle. But
Graeme hung back, and would not be prevailed upon to take such honour to
herself, and so some said she was proud, and some said she was only shy.
But she was kindly dealt with, even by Mrs Page, for her loving care
of the rest of the children had won for her the love of many a motherly
heart amo