234. _ The Little Minister

to sit at home, but if you had a wife she would
visit the congregation. A truly religious wife
would be a great help to you.”

“ Religious,” Gavin repeated, slowly. “ Yes,
but some people are religious without speaking
of it. Ifa woman is good she is religious. A
good woman who has been, let us say, foolishly
brought ‘up, only needs to be shown the right
way to tread it. Mother, I question if any man,
minister or layman, ever yet fell in love because
the woman was thrifty, or clever, or went to
church twice on Sabbath.”

“I believe that is true,” Margaret said, “and
I would not have it otherwise. But it is an
awful thing, Gavin, as you said from the pulpit
two weeks ago, to worship only at a beautiful
face.”

“You think too much about what I say in the
pulpit, mother,” Gavin said, with a sigh, “ though
of course a man who fell in love merely with a
face would be a contemptible creature. Yet I
see that women do not understand how beauty
affects a man.”

“Yes, yes, my boy, —oh, indeed, they do,”
said Margaret, who on some matters knew far
more than her son.

Twelve o’clock struck, and she rose to go to
bed, alarmed lest she should not waken early in
the morning. “ But I am afraid I sha’n’t sleep,”
she said, “if that lightning continues.”

“Tt is harmless,” Gavin answered, going to
the window. He started back next moment, and
crying, “ Don’t look out, mother,” hastily pulled
down the blind.