ving, and giving up St. Andrew's, since he preached
against covetousness. All the anti-renters say, I hear, that they know
he meant _them_; and that they won't put up with it."

"I dare say; each one fancying he was almost called out by name: that is
the way, when conscience works."

"I should be very, very sorry to part with Mary; and almost as much so
to part with her father. There is one thing, however, that Mr. Warren
himself thinks we had better have done, Hugh; and that is to take down
the canopy from over our pew. You can have no notion of the noise that
foolish canopy is making up and down the country."

"I shall _not_ take it down. It is my property, and there it shall
remain. As for the canopy, it was a wrong distinction to place in a
church, I am willing to allow; but it never gave offence until it has
been thought that a cry against it would help to rob me of my lands at
half price, or at no price at all, as it may happen."

"All that may be true; but if improper for a church, why keep it?"

"Because I do not choose to be bullied out of what is my own, even
though I care nothing about it. There might have been a time when the
canopy was unsuited to the house of God, and that was when those who saw
it might fancy it canopied the head of a fellow-creature who had higher
claims than themselves to divine favour; but, in times like these, when
men estimate merit by beginning at the other end of the social scale,
there is little danger of any one's falling into the mistake. The canopy
shall stand, little as I care about it: now, I would actually prefer it
should come down, as I can fully see the impropriety of making any
distinctions in the temple; but it shall stand until concessions cease
to be dangerous. It is a right of property, and as such I will maintain
it. If others dislike it, let them put canopies over their pews, too.
The best test, in such a matter, is to see who could bear it. A pretty
figure Seneca Newcome would cut, for instance, seated in a canopied pew!
Even his own set would laugh at him; which, I fancy, is more than they
yet do at me."

Martha was disappointed; but she changed the subject. We next talked of
our own little private affairs, as they were connected with smaller
matters.

"For whom is that beautiful chain intended, Hugh?" asked Patt,
laughingly. "I can now believe the pedlar when he says it is reserved
for your future wife. But who is that wife to be? Will her name be
Henrie