“Let us form a literary society,” said one; “prepare essays, and discuss some subject that will require considerable study in posting ourselves.”  This lady was newly married, and “boarded;” therefore time was one of the things that she possessed in the greatest abundance.

“That will never do,” said a busy little mother, “every lady that was to prepare an essay would be sure to have a sick baby, or a house full of company; then the most of us can only give little snatches of time to this, besides the afternoon or evening that we meet; that would surely be a failure; we want something that will not end in smoke after a few weeks.”

Mrs. Lewis spoke next.  When Mrs. Lewis spoke everybody always paid attention.  She was a large, fine looking lady of seventy or thereabouts.  Old age had crowned her with a halo of soft snowy hair, while her dark eyes still glowed with almost the brightness of youth.  Her naturally fine mind, enriched by extensive reading, and her deep religious experience, combined to constitute her almost an oracle in the little town.  In all their gatherings she was the centerpiece, a very queen for dignity and elegance, in her invariable black silk, and soft white cap.  “Let us study the Bible,” said Mrs. Lewis.  “I don’t know of any book we are more ignorant of.”

“Oh, Mrs. Lewis!  You wouldn’t make us into a Sabbath-school class, I hope,” said feathery little Mrs. Etheridge.  “I thought we did that up years ago.  I am sure I can repeat quantities of it,” and she tossed back her pretty head and looked wise.  “The Bible is all well enough for the Sabbath, but I should dearly love to read the poets.  I am passionately fond of Byron; some of his poems are just too sweet for anything.”

Some of the wise ones almost thought Mrs. Lewis’ text had a spice of sarcasm in it as she quoted for answer, “The testimonies of the Lord are sure, making wise the simple.”

Miss McIntosh, learned, and strong-mindedly inclined, said that she had heard that the ladies in Millville had spent one afternoon a week in the study of Political Economy, with very much benefit; they felt that their minds had been enlarged and strengthened; her preference would be for something of that sort, some broad, deep subject, that would require study; she would suggest Mental Philosophy.

“The Bible just fits in there,” said Mrs. Lewis. “’Thy Word is a great deep,’ and Peter said that Paul wrote ’things hard to be understood,’ you remember.”

“And that’s queer, too,” spoke up Mrs. Peterson.  “Such a deep book, and yet I feel more at home in it than in any other book you have talked about, and I haven’t much learning to speak of either.  But I get so interested in some of the folks in it, and the Lord’s dealings with them.  I’ve been thinking about Moses ever since Mr. Parker preached about his not being allowed to go into the promised land.  It seems as if I was acquainted with him.  It must have