t
was the county town, and contained six thousand inhabitants, two hotels,
and a court-house. It had also two or three business streets and half a
dozen churches, all very much at odds with each other and each seriously
inclined to disbelieve in the probable salvation of the rest. The "first
families" (of which there were eight or ten, with numerous branches)
attended the Episcopal Church, the second best the Presbyterian, while
the inferior classes, who could scarcely be counted at all, since they
had not been born in Delisleville, drifted to the Methodists.

The De Willoughbys attended the Episcopal Church, and, being generally
endowed with voices, two or three of them sang in the choir, which was
composed entirely of members of the attending families and executed most
difficult music in a manner which was the cause after each service of
much divided opinion. Opinion was divided because the choir was
divided--separated, in fact, into several small, select cliques, each
engaged in deadly and bitter feud with the rest. When the moon-eyed
soprano arose, with a gentle flutter, and opened her charming mouth in
solo, her friends settled themselves in their pews with a general rustle
of satisfaction, while the friends of the contralto exchanged civilly
significant glances; and on the way home the solo in question was
disposed of in a manner at once thorough and final. The same thing
occurred when the contralto was prominent, or the tenor, or the baritone,
or the basso, each of whom it was confidently asserted by competent
Delisleville judges might have rendered him or herself and Delisleville
immortal upon the lyric stage if social position had not placed the
following of such a profession entirely out of the question. There had
indeed been some slight trouble in one or two of the best families,
occasioned by the musical fervour of youthful scions who were in danger
of being led into indiscretions by their enthusiasm.

The De Willoughbys occupied one of the most prominent pews in the sacred
edifice referred to. Judge De Willoughby, a large, commanding figure,
with a fine sweep of long hair, mustache and aquiline profile; Mrs. De
Willoughby (who had been a Miss Vanuxem of South Carolina), slender,
willowy, with faded brunette complexion and still handsome brunette eyes,
and three or four little De Willoughbys, all more or less pretty and
picturesque. These nearly filled the pew. The grown-up Misses De
Willoughby sang with tw