the widow's mite order. You might easily obey the scriptural injunction,
and give them with your right hand without your left knowing what was
being done."

Elmira winced under this spiteful bludgeoning, but she rallied and came
back at her antagonist.

"Well, my dear," she said quietly, "the thought often occurs to me, that
one great reason why we both have been able to keep in the straight and
narrow path, is the entire lack of that beauty which so often proves a
snare to the feet of even the best-intentioned women."

It was Mrs. Grimes's turn to wince.

"A hit! a palpable hit!" laughed pretty Anna Bayne, who studied and
quoted Shakespeare.

"The mention of snares reminds me," said Mrs. Grimes, "that I, at least,
did not have to spread any to catch a husband."

"No," returned Elmira, with irritating composure, "the poorer kinds of
game are caught without taking that trouble."

"Well"--Mrs. Grimes's temper was rising so rapidly that she was losing
her usual skill in this verbal fence--"Jason Grimes, no doubt, has his
faults, as all men have; but he is certainly better than no husband at
all."

"That's the way for you to think," said Elmira, composedly, disregarding
the thrust at her own celibacy. "It's very nice in you to take so
cheerful a view of it. SOMEBODY had to marry him, doubtless, and it's
real gratifying to see one accepting the visitations of Providence in so
commendable a spirit."

To use the language of diplomacy, the relations between these ladies had
now become so strained that a rupture seemed unavoidable.

"Heavens, will this quarrel ne'er be mended?" quoted Anna Bayne, not all
sorry that these veteran word-swordsmen, dreaded by everybody, were for
once turning their weapons on each other.

Peace-making was one of the prerogatives assumed by Mrs. Tufis, as
belonging to the social leadership to which she had elected herself. She
now hastened to check the rapidly-opening breach.

"Ladies," she said blandly, "the discussion has wandered. Our first
remarks were, I believe about Miss Bond, and there was a surmise as to
her reasons for discontinuing attendance upon our meetings."

The diversion had the anticipated effect. The two disputants gladly quit
each other, to turn upon and rend the object flung in between them.

"Why Rachel Bond don't come here any more?" said Mrs. Grimes, with a
sniff that was one of the keenest-edged weapons in her controversial
armory. "When you know how little li