here, that I'd willed that place to you. There was some talk about sellin' on't and buyin' stock in the new railroad, and sez I, "Bijah," sez I, "railroads is onreliable things; they're allus gitten into trouble and bustin', so to speak, as it were, and there a'n't nothin to fall back on; them old rails won't sell; but land's right there till the eend of the world, and I've willed that farm to Happy Dodd, so't I won't run any resks." I see he looked consider❜ble riled, an' now I wish I'd held my tongue. Ef the land was to be his'n he'd have paid those taxes as sure as you're born. He a Christian? don't you take the Lord's name in vain like that, Happilony! I don't care a half a straw what a man calls himself, I know a real Christian man ain't onjust, and mean, and selfish, an' graspin', and cross; that a'n't religion; not according to my Bible. Folks don't pick figs off'n thistles to-day no more'n they did in the Lord's time; you can tell them by their fruits jest as well as you could then. Didn't I jest catch that feller that come round sellin' apple trees when that stick he told was a Hu'lbut Stripe bore the fust time? That little sour yaller thing wan't no more a Hu'lbut Stripe 'n I'm a turkey! He didn't sell no more trees round here, after that! Jest so with Abijah, his works foller him, and they'll keep a doin' on't till he up an' dies, ef he don't repent pretty quick. If there's

any kind o' talk makes me dead sick, it's to hear
folks say when anybody does a mean thing, 'Oh!
that's your Christianity!' when it's nothin' but the
want on't. They've got sense to see a man's callin'
himself a Frenchman don't make him one, but they
hain't sense or else they don't want to own it
to see a man ain't a Christian onless he acts real
different from their ways."

Happy could not deny Aunt Vinny's logic; she knew very well what harm a mere profession does to the church and cause of Christ; how much contempt and scorn the hypocrite earns for that religion for which martyrs have died and saints lived. With her, faith and practice were as inseparable as life and breath; and she could not, even with the widest exercise of charity accept one as genuine without the other. This was the faith she had been taught by her mother's example, and the word of God; and this it was she strove to impress upon her scholars. Is there any other faith worth having? Is there any truth, or hope, or use in religion, by whatever name or sect it calls itself, if it does not purify our hearts and regulate our actions? If we are not more gentle, more patient, more kindly, true, generous, unselfish, and self-controlled. If we hate our neighbor, and grind the wages of the poor down to their lowest limit; if we are unjust, unlovely, of mean spirit and evil tem

5

per, then of what avail is any name, any profession, any rites and ceremonies that have passed over us?

Where shall we find ourselves in that day when the stones of the causeway shall cry out against us, and the rocks refuse to cover us, and the Lord himself out of the heaven of heavens shall say as once before-"Where is thy brother? "

CHAPTER XXX.

By winter Miss Vinny was able to be about the house, and apparently as well as ever; and her old spirit of independence awoke.

66

Happilony," she said one day, “you've staid here quite a spell, and it's time you began to look out for yourself a mite now. I'm jest as good as I used to be for't I know, and I hadn't oughter be a takin' up your time no more."

Happy laughed gently.

66

Oh, Aunt Vinny, I didn't think you would want to get rid of me just as soon as you got well.”

“That's talk. I know ye consider❜ble well by this time, child. I know you've been a spendin' money for me too. I can't help that, it's hard,hard enough to come onto your hands for all that time, but I ain't goin' to be nobody's burden. I expect I'm smart enough yet to cook, an' I'll get a couple of mill hands to board; that'll get my vittles, and that feller can't touch the thousand dollars I've got left; th' int'rest of that'll buy my

clothes, what few I want, an' mebbe pay my doetor's bill, little by little. I kin live, and I shan't never forget what you done for me, but it's meaner 'n pusley to keep you here, and be a livin' on your int'rest money when you ought to be arnin' more, and I won't do it, so there now!"

It took Happy a long time to combat successfully Miss Vinny's resolution, but after a while she prevailed with her, having on her side a strong if secret wish of the poor old lady to keep such a friend and companion with her in her last years, a wish she yet tried to overcome and conceal with an unselfishness that touched Happy deeply. But at length she yielded, and it became settled that Happy should live with her as a companion, the old lady doing the housework, and Happy taking in sewing, and contributing her share to their mutual expenses; Miss Vinny providing house, garden, and fuel; Happy food and light. It was a good thing for them both, and the little home grew bright with the cheerfulness of Happy's presence. She persuaded Miss Vinny to use the hitherto shut-up parlor daily, and to let in the sunshine at its two south windows, usually kept closed after New England fashion. Luckily the previous carpet had been spotted, during Miss Vinny's occupancy of it as a bedroom, in spite of Happy's precautions; so that did not stand in the way; and Dr. Sands had told