er to bait a
mouse-trap with, Christiana said so."

"Does he know you, Mis' Mellen? it's awful to see folks out of their
heads; I don't know how any one kin bear to see it; you'd better let
me come in and spell you a bit; you look clean tuckered out with the
fright you've had."

Mrs. Mellen stood and looked quietly at the crowd of "members" that
surged and cackled about her.

"I could hear better if one'd speak at a time!" she said, mildly.

"Did you want to see Elder Lindsay? it--it must be gettin' near
meetin'-time, isn't it?"

"Meetin'-time! meetin's over, and Mr. Lindsay never come nigh. Do you
mean to say he ain't sick? do you mean to say--"

"What _do_ you mean to say, Mis' Mellen?"

Mrs. Mellen held the door in her hand, and still gazed quietly at the
excited throng. At length,--

"Whatever's the matter with Mr. Lindsay," she said, in clear incisive
tones, "I ain't going to let in no lunatic asylum to drive him clean
out of his mind. Deacon Strong and Deacon Todd, if you'll step this
way, I presume Mr. Lindsay'll be pleased to see you. And if the rest
of you 'ud go home quiet, mebbe it might seem more consistent. There
has been a meetin', you say? the Baptists will be just about comin'
out now."

An hour later, the two deacons were taking their leave of Mr. Lindsay.
They stood, hat in hand, and were looking at the young man with
pitying eyes. They were elderly men, of kind disposition.

"Well, Mr. Lindsay," Mr. Todd was saying; "I guess we've said about
all there is to say. Of course 'twas a pity, and such things make
talk; but 'twon't occur again, I dare say. Some say--"

"It _may_ occur again," cried the young minister. He was sitting with
his head in his hand, and despair in his face.

"It may occur again! I seem to have no mind, no memory! I am unfit to
be a minister of the Christian Church. My brethren, what shall I do?"

The elder men exchanged glances: then Deacon Strong stepped forward
and laid his hands on the young man's shoulder, for he loved him.

"Mr. Lindsay," he said, kindly, "so far as I can see, there's only one
thing the matter with you; you want a wife!"

"A wife!" repeated Charles Lindsay. His tone suggested that he had
never heard of the article.

"A wife!" the deacon said again, with emphasis; and his fellow deacon
nodded assent.

"A sensible, clever young woman, who will help you in parish matters,
and be a comfort to you in every way,--a--hem! yes, in every way." The