e not nearly
so fleshy are you? I can hardly define the change, if that is not it,
but I noticed something the moment I saw you."

"I have lost something in weight since I left home," she replied,
somewhat amused at their looks of astonishment.

"Your figure is so much better proportioned, too," continued Grace.

"And your complexion clearer," added Kate.

"Do tell us what it all means. You certainly look better than I ever saw
you," said Grace again.

"I am quite thankful she came home before all resemblance to my wife was
lost," said Mr. Hayden, with a hearty laugh, as he looked at each in
turn.

"Well, be serious now, and I will tell you something after I have put
the children to bed," said Mrs. Hayden, cuddling the sleepy Jem in her
arms. Fred and Mabel stood beside her, frequently interrupting the
conversation, for they, too, wanted to share the good time with mamma.
When Mrs. Hayden returned, she resumed.

"It may seem strange to you as it did to me at first, but I see it
clearly now, that desiring, searching and living for right, brings the
body into harmonious expression. If we think truth, we see it expressed
in harmony, beauty, symmetry, because the external is the expression of
the internal."

"It was particularly by the denial of matter that I lost the superfluous
flesh, for since I was too fleshy to be of symmetrical form, it was
superfluous and----"

"Did you know the denial of matter would have such an effect?"
interrupted Kate.

"No, not till I heard some of the rest of the class speaking of it, and
then I could hardly believe it, but after I understood the theory
better, of course it seemed more reasonable."

"It is both wonderful and reasonable too, I think. Why didn't you write
something about it?" asked Kate again.

"Oh, there are many things that can be told better than written."

"And many things that can be thought better than told," added Grace,
thoughtfully.

"Another lady in the class had about the same experience," said Mrs.
Hayden.

"But tell us the scientific reason for such an effect?" continued Grace.

"I will, as well as I can. Have you noticed that it is people who are
materially minded in their tastes and habits that are apt to be fleshy?"

"That depends upon what you would call materially minded," was Grace's
smiling reply.

"I mean those who like what the world calls the good things of
life--those who think a great deal of material pleasures or
environments, a