ces the same result, varied in
its effect upon the individual only by the peculiarity of temperament
and national character of the people. I'll take another glass of that
sherry; it's the best I've tasted for a year."

And Dr. Hillhouse held out his glass to be filled by the flattered
host, Mr. Elliott doing the same, and physician and clergyman touched
their brimming glasses and smiled and bowed "a good health." Before the
hour for going home arrived both were freer of tongue and a little
wilder in manner than when they came.

"The doctor is unusually brilliant to-night," said one, with just a
slight lifting of the eyebrow.

"And so is Mr. Elliott," returned the person addressed, glancing at the
clergyman, who, standing in the midst of a group of young men, glass in
hand, was telling a story and laughing at his own witticisms.

"Nothing strait-laced about Mr. Elliott," remarked the other. "I like
him for that. He doesn't think because he's a clergyman that he must
always wear a solemn face and act as if he were conducting a funeral
service. Just hear him laugh! It makes you feel good. You can get near
to such a man. All the young people in his congregation like him
because he doesn't expect them to come up to his official level, but is
ever ready to come down to them and enter into their feelings and
tastes."

"He likes a good glass of wine," said the first speaker.

"Of course he does. Have you any objection?"

"Shall I tell you what came into my thought just now?"

"Yes."

"What St. Paul said about eating meat."

"Oh!"

"'If meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the
world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend.' And again: 'Take
heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumbling-block
to them that are weak.'"

"How does that apply to Mr. Elliott?"

"There are more than one or two young men in the group that surrounds
him who need a better example than he is now setting. They need
repression in the matter of wine-drinking, not encouragement--a good
example of abstinence in their minister, and not enticement to drink
through his exhibition of liberty. Do you think that I, church member
though I am not, could stand as Mr. Elliott is now standing, glass in
hand, gayly talking to young Ellis Whitford, who rarely goes to a party
without--poor weak young man!--drinking too much, and so leading him on
in the way of destruction instead of seeking in eager haste to draw him