nless
indeed she says it herself, which is often enough, but then she seems to
think it is all right).

"Ruth keeps on the even tenor of her way. It would take an earthquake to
move that girl.

"I have had the greatest fun this morning. I have been mistaken for a
Sabbath-school teacher who had the misfortune to forget at what verse
her lesson commenced! You see I was cultivating new acquaintances, and a
Prof. Sherwin gave me good advice. That and some other things aroused my
curiosity concerning that same lesson, and I am going to find out where
it is.

"Did you know that Sunday-school lessons were such remarkable affairs?
The one for next Sunday must comprise the most wonderful portion of
Scripture that there is, for hundreds of people on these grounds are
talking about it, and I stumbled upon a party of ladies this morning who
were actually praying over it!

"Another thing I overheard this morning, which is news to me, that all
the world was at work on the same lesson. That is rather fascinating,
isn't it, to think of so many hundreds and thousands of people all
pitching into the same verses on Sunday morning? It is quite
sentimental, too, or capable of being made so, for instance, by a great
stretch of your imagination. Suppose you and me to be very dear friends,
separated by miles of ocean we will say, and both devoted Sabbath-school
teachers, isn't that a stretch now? Such being the astonishing case,
wouldn't it be pleasant to be at work on the same lesson? Don't you see?
Lets play do it. You look up the lesson for next Sabbath and so will I.
Won't that have all the charm of novelty? Then give me the benefit of
your ideas acquired on that important subject, and I'll do the same to
you. Really, the more I think of it the more the plan delights me. I
wonder how you will carry it out? Shall you go to Sunday-school? What
will the dear Doctor say if he sees you walk into his Bible-class? I
really wish I were there to enjoy the sensation. Meantime I'm going to
look up an altogether wonderful teacher for myself, and then for
comparing notes. My spirits begin to rise, they have been rather damp
all the morning, but I see fun in the distance.

"We are to have a sensation this afternoon in the shape of a troupe of
singers called the Tennesseeans--negroes, you know, and they are to give
slave-cabin songs and the like. I expect to enjoy it thoroughly, but you
ought to see Ruth curl her aristocratic nose at the thought.