these words to a big class of Sunday School children, and went, rain
or shine, to spend two hours each Sunday in a stuffy school-room for
that purpose. It was strange that she should be so ready to believe
evil of her neighbour, and so eager to spread the story. But my
progenitor is clever, and doubtless knows very well, whom to select
as his tools.

By this time they had reached a comfortable-looking, red-brick house
with white stone facings, and in the discussion of the arrangements
for the choir treat I was entirely forgotten.



MY THIRD STAGE



Alas! such is our weakness, that we often more readily believe and
speak of another that which is evil than that which is good. But
perfect men do not easily give credit to every report; because they
know man's weakness, which is very prone to evil, and very subject
to fail in words.
THOMAS A KEMPIS.


All through that evening, and through the first part of the
succeeding day, I was crowded out of the curate's mind by a host of
thoughts with which I had nothing in common; and though I hovered
about him as he taught in the school, and visited several sick
people, and argued with an habitual drunkard, and worked at his