d inside. 'He'll be 'round one of these days, or
I am mistaken.'

Meanwhile Hiram continued on his way to the store, his cheeks burning
under the influence of Mr. Bennett's plain talk, but sensibly alive to
the description of Dr. Chellis's church.

'Allwise, Tenant & Co., eh? and Starbuck & Briggs (Hiram had been but a
few weeks in New York, and already had learned to pay that almost
idolatrous deference to great commercial names which is a leading
characteristic of the town); that will do. Plenty of rich girls,'--his
heart began to beat quick,--'plenty of rich girls. That's the place for
me.'

Strange, in this soliloquy he said nothing about the spiritual
advantages to be derived under the preaching of so noted a divine as Dr.
Chellis. Yet Hiram really liked strong preaching and severe discipline.
For he never appropriated any of the denunciations. Feeling perfectly
safe himself, it gratified him to hear the awful truths severely
enforced on the outsiders.

We see, however, from this little conversation with himself, what was
uppermost in Hiram's mind. Subsequent inquiries, carefully made of
various persons, fully confirmed the statement of Mr. Bennett as to
these little particulars in relation to Dr. Chellis's church and
congregation.

Dr. Chellis himself was a person of extraordinary ability, great purity
of character, and great zeal. At this period he was about sixty years of
age, but he possessed the earnestness and energy of a young man. His
congregation were very much attached to him, and it is true he exercised
over them a remarkable influence. Many people sneered, accusing them of
'being led by the nose by their minister.' They were led, it is true,
but not in that way: rather by their understanding and their affections.
For, strict and stern and severe as the 'old Doctor' appeared to be, it
was the _sin_ he thundered against, not the individual. And those who
were brought in more intimate contact with him, declared that he was,
after all, a kind, tender-hearted man.

His church were devoted to him. The majority were a severe, toilsome,
self-denying company--too much so, perchance; but of that I dare hazard
no opinion: God knows. Like their minister, sincere, indulging in no
cant; without hypocrisy, practising in the world during the week the
principles they professed on Sunday to be governed by; a church
deserving to be honored for its various charities (it gave twice as much
as any other in the city),