fold.  His bereaved congregation immediately began pulling candidates on and off, like new boots, on trial.  Some pinched in tender places; some were too loose; some were too square-toed; some were too coarse, and did n’t please; some were too thin, and would n’t last;—­in short, they could n’t possibly find a fit.  At last, people began to drop in to hear old Doctor Honeywood.  They were quite surprised to find what a human old gentleman he was, and went back and told the others, that, instead of being a case of confluent sectarianism, as they supposed, the good old minister had been so well vaccinated with charitable virus that he was now a true, open-souled Christian of the mildest type.  The end of all which was, that the liberal people went over to the old minister almost in a body, just at the time that Deacon Shearer and the “Vinegar-Bible” party split off, and that not long afterwards they sold their own meeting-house to the malecontents, so that Deacon Soper used often to remind Colonel Sprowle of his wish that “our little man and him [the Reverend Doctor] would swop pulpits,” and tell him it had “pooty nigh come trew.”—­But this is anticipating the course of events, which were much longer in coming about; for we have but just got through that terrible long month, as Mr. Dudley Venner found it, of December.

On the first of January, Mr. Silas Peckham was in the habit of settling his quarterly accounts, and making such new arrangements as his convenience or interest dictated.  New Year was a holiday at the Institute.  No doubt this accounted for Helen’s being dressed so charmingly,—­always, to be sure in, her own simple way, but yet with such a true lady’s air, that she looked fit to be the mistress of any mansion in the land.

She was in the parlor alone, a little before noon, when Mr. Peckham came in.

“I’m ready to settle my accaount with you now, Miss Darley,” said Silas.

“As you please, Mr. Peckham,” Helen answered, very graciously.

“Before payin’ you your selary,” the Principal continued, “I wish to come to an understandin’ as to the futur’.  I consider that I’ve been payin’ high, very high, for the work you do.  Women’s wages can’t be expected to do more than feed and clothe ’em, as a gineral thing, with a little savin’, in case of sickness, and to bury ’em, if they break daown, as all of ’em are liable to do at any time.  If I a’n’t misinformed, you not only support yourself out of my establishment, but likewise relatives of yours, who I don’t know that I’m called upon to feed and clothe.  There is a young woman, not burdened with destitute relatives, has signified that she would be glad to take your dooties for less pecooniary compensation, by a consid’able amaount, than you now receive.  I shall be willin’, however, to retain your services at sech redooced rate as we shall fix upon,—­provided sech redooced rate be as low or lower than the same services can be obtained elsewhere.”