d almost as soon, and the soul returns to its former state; the
sleeper slumbers on; the drunkard drinks harder; the swearer blasphemes
more fiercely; the libertine indulges in greater excesses; and all
these hordes of ungodly men push on again down the broad and easy
incline to the pit of Hell. Do people know that the end of a sinful
life is Hell? Do people believe? Why, then, do they press their way
down to such a place?

CHAPTER IV.

Abe a New Character in the Village.

"Hast ta yeard th' news?" said one neighbour to another, on the morning
following the happy event narrated in the preceding chapter.

"What news dost ta mean?"

"Aye well, thaa has'n't yeard what happened last noight; doan't look so
scared, mon; th' mill worn't burnt daan; nor th' river droid up; nor
Amebury (Almondbury) common transported; but some'at stranger nor that."

"Why, whatever dost ta mean?"

"I mean that Abe Lockwood's been and gotton converted last noight, and
he's up and off to his wark this morning, shaating and singing like a
madman."

"Abe Lockwood converted!" replied the other in astonishment, and
pausing between each word, as if to realize his own sayings.
"Nay,--I'll niver believe that."

"It's as true as thaa and me is here; his father telled me he wor aat
hoalf at noight on Amebury common, crying and praying by a big tree
roit, and he gat converted there all alone; and when he came into th'
haase, his face was shining like th' moonloight."

Here was news for the people of Berry Brow, and how it flew from mouth
to mouth, and from house to house, till, before many hours, almost
every person in the village knew of the wonderful change which had come
over Abe. Some doubted the report,--"It canna be soa," said one;
another "would sooiner think of ony one than him; he's making game
on't, I'll lay onything." Others thought, "If he's turned religious,
it's no matter; he'll be as wild as iver by th' week-end." It was out
of all character for Abe Lockwood to be anything else than he had been,
a rollicksome, laughing, drinking, ungodly young man.

How often people talk in this way, when they hear of some giving their
hearts to God; "They won't stand long; give them a month, and it will
be all over," and such like injudicious things are said even by some
who ought to have more discretion. People talk without thinking, or
make such statements to cover their own shortcomings and faults. Why
shall they not stand? are