own heart, to think tenderly of every one, and to withhold her opinion till time and opportunity had been afforded her of judging.

The evening arrived on which they were invited to the Rectory. The ladies carried their work-bags, as it was to be a social meeting. No one was there when they entered, so Mr. Conroy took the opportunity of inspecting the room: "What have we here in the form of a fortress? a missionary box-oh, very good." "You may as well add to its weight, Mr. Conroy," said Mrs. Harding. "I don't care if I do ; one may as well help others to knowledge if one doesn't value it one's self. But what's this, another attack upon one's prodigality-ah! for the Bible Society! that's a better thing still. I suppose I must give a little more to this; I was always told there was nothing like the Bible, and so I do believe: but what puzzles me is, I find hundreds quoting it, and preaching about it, who never care to order their own conduct by its precepts, however they may their conversation."

Mrs. Harding was about to reply, when the clergyman and his lady appeared. After the introduction, Mr. Conroy took his station in a window, where he was in a measure screened from observation.

The chairs were set in a large circle round the room, and the company, as they entered, seated themselves; Colonel and Mrs. Percy came late, apologizing for the delay on the plea of military business. Mary watched for an opportunity of taking a chair near Mrs. Percy, but there was an air of reserve and chill upon the spirits of the company which quickly infected her. She smiled at the folly of being influenced by such feelings; but still found her resolution fail, and at last gave up the idea. The Rector's lady was a timid woman, and at a loss how to entertain strangers. Mrs. Harding addressed some conversation to Mrs. Percy, and the clergyman occasionally joined. Colonel Percy touched upon the late changes in the ministry; no one seemed interested; the Rector was ashamed that he knew so little of politics they did take a newspaper, but he seldom had time for reading it; he intended paying a little more attention to the state of affairs in future, for he thought ignorance on such subjects not quite justifiable. An elderly maiden lady present, ventured to think that politics should be avoided by all Christians, indeed she never read a newspaper, nor could she see it right to call her thoughts away from serious subjects, in order to attend to court

scandal, the vanities of the world, and the broils of government. Colonel Percy moved his chair and began examining an antique watch lying on the table. The Rector, who was a man of education and gentlemanly feelings, felt embarrassed between his desire not to give unnecessary offence to strangers unacquainted with their habits, and the fear of discouraging the self-denying principles of the lady in question. Colonel Percy, after a rather long pause, and with an air of deference for the opinions of others, imagined, that, taking the moral precepts of the Almighty in their strictest sense, there could be no objection to the perusal of events which were under his immediate control: he saw no reason why rational beings should consider it necessary to contract rather than enlarge their minds; he thought that every one should possess himself of as much information as would enlighten and cultivate his understanding without interfering with his advancement in religious knowledge. The Rector fully assented to these views, provided the heart was not too much interested in such things. Colonel Percy smiled, and feared, with much apparent sincerity, that there was danger of our becoming too interested. Mrs. Percy thought all innocent amusements lawful, and

wondered how many religious characters could strain the law beyond its limits; she thought they carved out a very narrow line, and hindered others, who felt they could not conform to their rules, from making any advances. Mrs. Harding argued, that what might be lawful might not be expedient, and it was more safe to stand on the narrow than on the broad path. Mary thought Mrs. Percy sighed, but no reply was made, and the subject dropped. Occasional remarks were made from time to time by some of the visitors, and at length the Rector took the Bible, read a chapter and made some reflections, which were concluded by prayer, and the company separated.

As soon as Mr. Conroy found himself alone with his niece, he began his observations, "What is all this, Mary? am I ever to understand you religious people? I thought to find you all of one mind, but I was more perplexed than ever this evening to see you go on as you did. Why! Mary, I never saw such a prim, formal party in all my life! does the Supreme Being require the discontinuance of all friendly, social, pleasant intercourse? If he does, then I commend you, one and all ; for a more obedient set I never saw. Harding told us the first night, that Colonel Percy and his wife were of the right

kind; and so I retreated as one de trop, to make my private observations; but if they are of the number, I must say their reception was sufficiently cold, and they looked as ill at ease as ever visitors could. I cannot make you out. I was fool enough in my younger days to get myself made a freemason, but our bond of union was far more binding than yours; and when I compared the reserved manners and guarded words of your party, I could not help thinking our rules more agreeable."

Mary acknowledged that this sort of stiffness and absence of confidence were, to her, particularly annoying; she had often lamented it, especially as it had so prejudicial an effect on persons who might have been won by an open affectionate manner. "I am quite vexed," she added, "on account of the Percys, who must have felt that if they were among serious persons, at the best they could not be called agreeable." "Agreeable!" echoed her uncle, "Why no, I don't suppose such an idea entered their heads;' and he laughed at the very mention of it. Mary tried to persuade him that the sentiments and feelings of all present that evening probably were, in essentials, quite according to those principles which they professed; but by some unfortunate mixture of human infirmity, they