"Not that, quite, of course,--or, I don't know, either. Isn't it all
different forms of the Master's work. The children of the home may have
each a different task, but each is needed to make the home what it
should be, and each worker needs the same spirit of love and
unselfishness to enable him to do his part. It isn't a perfect
illustration, Miss Dennis. I'm not skillful in that direction; but _I_
know what I mean, and that is a comfort."

"And I know what you mean," Gracie said, not joining in his laugh; "but
I am not sure that I believe it. Why, Mr. Ried, that would make a very
solemn thing of living."

"Well, did you suppose it was other than solemn? I'm sure it makes a
triumphant thing of it, too; and without it we are only a lot of wax
figures, dancing to pass the time away."

"But don't you really think that people have a right to have _any_ nice
times?"

"Miss Dennis, did you ever see any person who had nicer times than your
friend, Mrs. Roberts?"

"Well, Flossy is peculiar; her tastes all seem to lie in this direction;
though once they did not, I admit. Papa used to think that she had no
talent for anything but dancing. Something changed Flossy's entire
character. No one who knew her two years ago could possibly deny that."

"She will serve as an illustration, then, to explain my meaning. I
believe, Miss Dennis, that religion should have sufficient power over