great place like New York, there
are a thousand amusements specially planned for the evening hours.
Exhibitions, theatres, concerts, libraries, lectures--everything to
tempt one away from wrong-doing to fine things. And there wickedness is
kept out of sight as it never is here. In New York you must go to it,
but in these small places it hunts one out and tempts one."

"Oh, Peter! Here, where there's room in church of a Sabbath for all the
folks, while they say that in New York there isn't enough seats in
churches for mor'n a quarter of the people. A missionary was saying only
last week that we ought to help raise money to build churches in New
York. Just think of there being mor'n ten saloons for every church! And
that my son should speak for them and spend nights in them!"

"I'm sorry it troubles you so. If I felt I had any right to stop, I'd do
it."

"You haven't drunk in them yet, Peter?"

"No."

"And you'll promise to write me if you do."

"I'll promise you I won't drink in them, mother."

"Thank you, Peter." Still his mother was terrified at the mere thought,
and at her request, her clergyman spoke also to Peter. He was easier to
deal with, and after a chat with Peter, he told Mrs. Stirling:

"I think he is doing no harm, and may do much good. Let him do what he
thinks best."

"It's dreadful though, to have your son's first refusal be about going
to saloons," sighed the mother.

"From the way he spoke I think his refusal was as hard to him as to you.
He's a good boy, and you had better let him judge of what's right."

On Peter's return to the city, he found an invitation from Mrs. Bohlmann
to come to a holiday festivity of which the Germans are so fond. He was
too late to go, but he called promptly, to explain why he had not
responded. He was very much surprised, on getting out his dress-suit,
now donned for the first time in three years, to find how badly it
fitted him.

"Mother is right," he had to acknowledge. "I have grown much thinner."

However, the ill-fit did not spoil his evening. He was taken into the
family room, and passed a very pleasant hour with the jolly brewer, his
friendly wife, and the two "nice girls." They were all delighted with
Catlin's election, and Peter had to tell them about his part in it. They
did not let him go when he rose, but took him into the dining-room,
where a supper was served at ten. In leaving a box of candy, saved for
him from the Christmas tree, was given h