nces as a child are so fresh in my memory that I rather
sympathise with the little fellows, and do all I can to relieve the
half-scared stiffness with which they conduct themselves in church and
the Sunday-school room.

"I wonder why it is we make church such a place of terror to the young
ones. No wonder they quit coming as soon as they can choose.

"I shock Miss Simpson, who teaches a mixed class, terribly, by my
freedom with the pupils. She says that she can't do anything with her
charges any more; but I notice that her class and the school are
growing. I 've been at it for several weeks now, and, like a promising
baby, I am beginning to take an interest in things.

"If I got on with the old children of my flock as well as I do with the
young ones, I should have nothing to complain of; but I don't. They know
as little as the youngsters, and are a deal more unruly. They are
continually comparing me with their old pastor, and it is needless to
say that I suffer by the comparison. The ex-pastor himself burdens me
with advice. I shall tell him some day that he has resigned. But I am
growing diplomatic, and have several reasons for not wishing to offend
him. For all which 'shop' pray forgive me."

One of the reasons for not wishing to offend the Rev. Mr. Simpson of
which Brent wrote was, as may be readily inferred, his engagement to
Elizabeth. It had not yet officially become public property, but few of
Dexter's observant and forecasting people who saw them together doubted
for a moment that it would be a match. Indeed, some spiteful people in
the community, who looked on from the outside, said that "Mr. Simpson
never thought of resigning until he saw that he could keep the place in
the family." But of course they were Baptists who said this, or
Episcopalians, or Presbyterians,--some such unregenerate lot.

Contrary to the adage, the course of love between the young people did
run smooth. The young minister had not disagreed with the older one, so
Elizabeth had not disagreed with him, because she did not have to take
sides. She was active in the Sunday-school and among the young people's
societies, and Brent thought that she would make an ideal minister's
wife. Every Sunday, after church, they walked home together, and
sometimes he would stop at the house for a meal. They had agreed that at
the end of his first pastoral year they would be married; and both
parent and guardian smiled on the prospective union.

As his