ed with her discontent, had thrust it resolutely
out of sight, and on the top of it she had planted a big stone marked
Resignation. Nevertheless, at times the stone heaved and trembled
ominously.

* * * * *

At sound of a brisk tap at her chamber door the lady turned with a
guilty start to find the fresh-colored, impertinent face of the French
maid obtruding itself into the room.

"Ze madame waits," announced this individual, and with a coldly
comprehensive eye swept the small figure from head to foot.

"Yes, yes, my dear, I am quite ready--I am coming at once!" faltered
Miss Philura, with a propitiatory smile, and more than ever painfully
aware that the skirt of her best black gown was irremediably short and
scant, that her waist was too flat, her shoulders too sloping, her
complexion faded, her forehead wrinkled, and her bonnet unbecoming.

As she stepped uncertainly down the dark, narrow stairway she rebuked
herself severely for these vain and worldly thoughts. "To be a church
member, in good and regular standing, and a useful member of society,"
she assured herself strenuously, "should be and _is_ sufficient for me."

Ten minutes later, Miss Philura, looking smaller and more insignificant
than usual, was seated in the carriage opposite Mrs. J. Mortimer Van
Deuser--a large, heavily upholstered lady of majestic deportment, paying
diligent heed to the words of wisdom which fell from the lips of her
hostess and kinswoman.

"During your short stay in Boston," that lady was remarking
impressively, "you will, of course, wish to avail yourself of those
means of culture and advancement so sadly lacking in your own
environment. This, my dear Philura, is pre-eminently the era of
progressive thought. We can have at best, I fear, but a faint
conception of the degree to which mankind will be able, in the years of
the coming century, to shake off the gross and material limitations of
sense."

Mrs. Van Deuser paused to settle her sables preliminary to recognizing
with an expansive smile an acquaintance who flashed by them in a
victoria; after which she adjusted the diamonds in her large, pink ears,
and proceeded with unctuous tranquillity. "On this occasion, my dear
Philura, you will have the pleasure of listening to an address by Mrs.
B. Isabelle Smart, one of our most advanced thinkers along this line.
You will, I trust, be able to derive from her words aliment which will
influence the ent