his loss at such a moment had become to her.  A dreadful truth was revealed to her, which became immediately known to those most interested in her welfare.  Furious with rage, and forgetting that his child needed now his tenderest care, the outraged father drove her from his door, with the command never to enter it.  It was then that a former lover, who had worshipped her from afar in the days of her prosperity, came forward and offered her his protection and an honorable name, that had never been sullied by disgrace.

“In her distressed circumstances, she accepted him thankfully.  They were married immediately, and not long after this child of the former lover was born.  It was the one false step of a young, inexperienced girl, and bitterly repented and atoned for in after life.  The story is well known where these facts occurred, as there was not the least attempt at concealment.”

“Then you admit, Madam, that your relative did commit a grievous wrong at one portion of her life,” said Miss Pryor, with a glance of severe virtue.

“But she repented, Betsey, and was forgiven, we trust,” said Mrs. Wynn, gently, thinking of one at home who had wrung her aged heart by a similar misstep.

“That is not all I have to say upon the subject, either,” said Mrs. Garnet, spiritedly.  “Since the minister’s dashing lady has commenced this cowardly attack upon one I love, I shall not hesitate to speak the entire truth.  This widow, who was never a wife until she lately married her present husband, and who, I regret to say, has thereby imposed upon a very worthy man, has a grown daughter of unsound mind, who is bound out to a family, where it is well known she has not been treated any too kindly.  The heartless mother, engrossed in the pursuit of some victim of sufficient credulity to easily fall into her snares, has spent her time, and what money she could earn, in beautifying and displaying her bold-looking face and unwieldy figure, totally regardless of this unhappy being, who has never known a mother’s love and care.  I can imagine the reason for her opening hostilities in this manner.  Knowing that we were perfectly familiar with every portion of her former history, and judging by her own spiteful self that we would improve the first opportunity to make the facts known, she thought to poison the minds of the community, so that our story would not be believed.  However, this was all labor spent in vain.  Mother and I mutually agreed, that if the woman chose to reform, we would be the last to injure her in the estimation of others.”

“Can you prove this?” demanded Miss Pryor, gazing stolidly at the animated speaker.

“I can, by producing the lady’s own daughter, of whose very existence, I doubt not, the pious Elder is at this moment in profound ignorance,” said Mrs. Garnet.

“That alters the case materially, then,” said Mrs. Wynn.  “These facts must be carefully investigated, and if they are true, it’s very likely our new minister will have occasion to resign before long.  You don’t bear any hardness, I hope, neighbor.  It’s been a very tryin’ task, but somebody had to undertake it.”