In casting about for a field that promised the widest opportunity for
his talent, he discovered the Immanuel Church in the city. Here
philanthropy burned with such zealous enthusiasm that the harvest was
not sufficient for the laborers. Phineas saw his chance and grasped
it. He became a Prodigal Son.

From that time on his sole vocation was attending church. Three times
a week, regardless of the inclemency of the weather, he unwound his
long legs from the chair rungs in the Cant-Pass-It, carefully smoothed
his red hair, and made his way to a front pew in the Immanuel Church.
At intervals, calculated to a nicety, he fell from grace, and was
reclaimed, passing from periods of grave backsliding into periods of
great religious fervor. Meanwhile he followed the Scriptures literally
and took no thought of the morrow. His reliance in Providence and the
Ladies' Aid became, in time, absolute.

Nor did Phineas Flathers' self-respect suffer in the least by this
mode of living. In no sense did he consider himself an incumbent. Did
he not three times a week give a masterly presentation of "our needy
poor," "our brother-in-misfortune"? Did he not freely offer up his
family for each new church society to cut its wisdom teeth upon? Had
Maria, his wife, not labored wearily through unintelligible tracts,
and Chick, his adopted son, done penance in Sunday School, as often as
three Sundays in succession? Considering all things, Phineas felt that
the church got a great deal for its money.

Myrtella Flathers, following another method, had for fifteen years
fought every obstacle that crossed her path. She had left in her wake
traditions of unexcelled cooking, and unparalleled cleanliness,