‘It’s but natural, minister!’ said his wife; ’I’m not above liking a silk gown better than a cotton one myself!’

‘The love of dress is a temptation and a snare,’ said he, gravely.  ’The true adornment is a meek and quiet spirit.  And, wife,’ said he, as a sudden thought crossed his mind, ’in that matter I, too, have sinned.  I wanted to ask you, could we not sleep in the grey room, instead of our own?’

‘Sleep in the grey room?—­change our room at this time o’ day?’ cousin Holman asked, in dismay.

‘Yes,’ said he.  ’It would save me from a daily temptation to anger.  Look at my chin!’ he continued; ’I cut it this morning—­I cut it on Wednesday when I was shaving; I do not know how many times I have cut it of late, and all from impatience at seeing Timothy Cooper at his work in the yard.’

‘He’s a downright lazy tyke!’ said cousin Holman.  ’He’s not worth his wage.  There’s but little he can do, and what he can do, he does badly.’

‘True,’ said the minister.  ’He is but, so to speak, a half-wit; and yet he has got a wife and children.’

‘More shame for him!’

’But that is past change.  And if I turn him off; no one else will take him on.  Yet I cannot help watching him of a morning as he goes sauntering about his work in the yard; and I watch, and I watch, till the old Adam rises strong within me at his lazy ways, and some day, I am afraid, I shall go down and send him about his business—­let alone the way in which he makes me cut myself while I am shaving—­and then his wife and children will starve.  I wish we could move to the grey room.’

I do not remember much more of my first visit to the Hope Farm.  We went to chapel in Heathbridge, slowly and decorously walking along the lanes, ruddy and tawny with the colouring of the coming autumn.  The minister walked a little before us, his hands behind his back, his head bent down, thinking about the discourse to be delivered to his people, cousin Holman said; and we spoke low and quietly, in order not to interrupt his thoughts.  But I could not help noticing the respectful greetings which he received from both rich and poor as we went along; greetings which he acknowledged with a kindly wave of his hand, but with no words of reply.  As we drew near the town, I could see some of the young fellows we met cast admiring looks on Phillis; and that made me look too.  She had on a white gown, and a short black silk cloak, according to the fashion of the day.  A straw bonnet with brown ribbon strings; that was all.  But what her dress wanted in colour, her sweet bonny face had.  The walk made her cheeks bloom like the rose; the very whites of her eyes had a blue tinge in them, and her dark eyelashes brought out the depth of the blue eyes themselves.  Her yellow hair was put away as straight as its natural curliness would allow.  If she did not perceive the admiration she excited, I am sure cousin Holman did; for she looked as fierce