man who has absorbed the essence of his religion, and cast off most of its
unnecessary externals. You have done the same for my--for your daughter.
This distinguishes you. If I were to say the characteristic has never been
unbeautiful in my eyes, I should be excusing what needs no excuse. Now,
sir, I, in turn, am a Christian broadly speaking; more formally, a
Unitarian. Our faiths are not widely divergent. We are both liberal;
otherwise marriage between us might be a grave experiment. As to forms,
for me they are a show, but for many they are a necessity, --a sort of
moral backbone without which they might fall. Sunday is to me a day of
rest if my patients do not need me. I enjoy hearing a good sermon by any
noble, broad-minded man, and go to church not only for that, but for the
pleasure of having my spiritual tendencies given a gentle stirring up.
There is one holiday that I keep and love to keep; that is Christmas."

"And I honor you for it; but loving this day of days, looking for sympathy
for it from all you meet, how will it be when in your own home the wife
whom you love above all others stands coldly by and watches your feelings
with no answering sympathy? Will this not breed dissension, if not in
words, at least in spirit? Will you not feel the want and resent it?"

Dr. Kemp was silent. The question was a telling one and required thought;
therefore he was surprised when Ruth answered for him. Her quiet voice
carried no sense of hysteric emotion, but one of grave grace.

She addressed her father; each had refrained from appealing to the other.
The situation in the light of their new, great love was strained and
unnatural.

"I should endeavor that he should feel no lack," she said; "for so far as
Christmas is concerned, I am a Christian also."