s with a little contempt. But the Miss Hemmings had
come in while she was speaking, and it was seldom that such edifying
talk was heard in Carlingford.

"That is such a beautiful sentiment--oh, if we only bore it always in
mind!" murmured the eldest Miss Hemmings. "Mr Elsworthy, I hope you
have got the tracts I ordered. They are so much wanted here. Poor dear
Mr Bury would not believe his eyes if he could see Carlingford now,
given up to Puseyism and Ritualism--but good men are taken away from
the evil to come. I will pay for them now, please."

"If you wish it, ma'am," said Mr Elsworthy. "The town _is_ changed; I
don't say nothing different; but being in the ritual line as you say,
you won't find no church as it's better done than in St Roque's. Mr
Wentworth never spares no pains, ma'am, on anything as he takes up.
I've heard a deal of clergymen in my day, but _his_ reading is
beautiful; I can't say as I ever heard reading as could equal it;--and
them choristers, though they're hawful to manage, is trained as I
never see boys trained in _my_ life afore. There's one of them houses,
ma'am," continued the optimist, turning to Miss Wentworth, "as is a
beauty. Miss Wodehouse can tell you what it is; no lady in the land
could desire a handsomer drawing-room; and as for the kitchings,--I
don't pretend to be a judge up-stairs, but being brought up a
blacksmith, I know what's what in a kitching-range. If you had all
Grange Lane to dinner, there's a range as is equal to it," said Mr
Elsworthy with enthusiasm--"and my wife will show you the 'ouse."

"I knew Mr Bury," said Miss Leonora; "he was a precious man. Perhaps
you have heard him mention the Miss Wentworths? I am very sorry to
hear that there is no real work going on in the town. It is very sad
that there should be nobody able to enter into the labours of such a
saint."

"Indeed," said Miss Wodehouse, who was excited, in spite of herself,
by this conversation, "I think the Carlingford people go quite as much
to church as in Mr Bury's days. I don't think there is less religion
than there used to be: there are not so many prayer meetings, perhaps;
but--"

"There is nothing the carnal mind dislikes so much as prayer meetings,"
said Miss Hemmings. "There is a house in Grove Street, if Miss Wentworth
is looking for a house. I don't know much about the kitchen-range, but I
know it belongs to a very pious family, and they wish so much to let
it. My sister and I would be so g