Divers Women | Page 9

gentleman.
More than that, I don't believe he knows we had a whist party. If he set
out to keep track of all the parties there are in his congregation it would
make a busy life for him. Your conscience must have reproached you,
Maria."
"Well, some people are less sensitive than others, I suppose. I know
men who wouldn't like to have their wives talked about as freely as
yours was from the pulpit this morning. I tell you, Dr. Matthews, that
he meant me, and I know it, and I don't mean to stand it, if you do."
"How will you help it?" the doctor asked, and he laughed outright. It
did seem ridiculously funny to him. "A tempest in a thimble," he called

it. His wife was given to having them.
"What will you do about it? Fight him, or what? It's a free country, and
the man has a right to his opinions, even if you don't agree with him.
Better hush up, Maria. I don't believe in duels, and they are against the
law in this country besides; you are powerless, you see."
It is a pity he said that. Mrs. Dr. Matthews being a woman, and being a
member of that church, knew she was not powerless. And women of
her stamp are sure to be dared by random, half-earnest sentences, to
show the very utmost that their weak selves can do. As truly as I tell
you the story here to-day, that is the way the ferment began. "A little
leaven leaveneth the whole lump." Aye, and a little acid sours the
whole lump. Do you think Mrs. Dr. Matthews sallied out directly her
meal was concluded, and openly and bitterly denounced Dr. Selmser as
a pulpit slanderer? She did nothing of the sort. She chose her time and
place and persons with skill and tact, and said, "Didn't they think, just
among themselves, not intending to breathe it outside for the world,
that Dr. Selmser was getting a little unpopular among the young people?
He was so grave--almost stern. She felt distressed sometimes lest they
should cultivate a feeling of fear toward him. She did think it was so
important that the young people should be attracted."
Watching her opportunity--and it is wonderful how many opportunities
there are in the world, if one only watches for them--she remarked at
Mrs. Brower's that Dr. Selmser was just a little inclined, she thought, to
pay rather too much attention to families like the Harrisons. It was
natural, she supposed. Ministers were but human, and of course with
their wealth and influence they could make their home very attractive
to him; but she always felt sorry when she saw a clergyman neglecting
the poor. Dr. Selmser certainly had called at Mr. Harrison's twice
during this very week. Of course he might have had business--she did
not pretend to say. But there were some who were feeling as though
their pastor didn't get time to see them very often. He ought to be
willing to divide his attentions.
Now Mrs. Brower belonged by nature to that type of woman who is
disposed to keep an almanac account with her pastor. She knew just

how many calls Dr. Selmser made on her in a year, and just how far
apart they were. It really needed but a suggestion to make her feel
doubly alert--on the qui vive, indeed--to have her feelings hurt. So of
course they were hurt.
In point of fact, there is nothing easier to accomplish in this jarring
world than to get your feelings injured. If you are bent on being
slighted there is no manner of difficulty in finding people who
apparently "live and move and breathe" for no other purpose than to
slight you. And as often as you think about them, and dwell on their
doings, they increase in number. A new name is added to the list every
time you think it over; and the fair probability is that every single
person you meet on that day when you have just gone over your
troubles will say or do, or leave unsaid or undone, that which will
cruelly hurt you. I tell you, dear friend, it becomes you to keep those
feelings of yours hidden under lock and key, out of sight and memory
of anyone but your loving Lord, if you don't want them hurt every hour
in the day.

CHAPTER IV.
SOME PEOPLE WHO WERE FALSE FRIENDS.
Did a woman ever start out, I wonder, with the spirit of turmoil and
unrest about her, that she did not find helpers? Especially if she be one
of a large congregation she comes in contact with some heedless
ones--some malicious ones--some who are led into mischief by their
undisciplined tongues--some who