younger days, he was settled over I don't know how many different
parishes; but secret enmity pursued him everywhere, poisoning the
parochial mind against him, and driving him relentlessly from place to
place. Then he relapsed into agencies, and went through a long list of
them, each terminating in flat failure, to his ever-recurring
surprise,--the simple old soul never suspecting, to this day, who his
one great, tireless, terrible enemy is!

I got him into the library, and went to talk over this unexpected
visit--or visitation--with Dolly. She bore up under it more cheerfully
than could have been expected,--suppressed a sigh,--and said she would
go down and meet him. She received him with a hospitable smile (I verily
believe that more of the world's hypocrisy proceeds from too much
good-nature than from too little), and listened patiently to his
explanations.

"You will observe that I have brought my bag," says he, "for I knew you
wouldn't let me off for a day or two,--though I must positively leave in
a week,--in two weeks, at the latest. I have brought my volume, too, for
I am contemplating a new edition" (he is always contemplating a new
edition, making that a pretext for lugging the book about with him),
"and I wish to enjoy the advantages of your and Frederick's
criticism;--I anticipate some good, comfortable, old-time talks over the
old book, Frederick!"

We had invited some village friends to come in and eat strawberries and
cream with us that afternoon; and the question arose, what should be
done with the old gentleman? Harry, who is a lad of a rather lively
fancy, coming in while we were taking advantage of his great uncle's
deafness to discuss the subject in his presence, proposed a pleasant