ful lonely without you when both my girls were gone."

"But, dear Mother Isel, Flemild is not going far."

"Not by the measuring-line, very like; but she's going far enough to be
Raven's wife, and not my daughter.  It makes a deal of difference, that
does.  And Derette's going further, after the same fashion.  I sha'n't
see her, maybe, again, above a dozen times in my life.  Eh dear! this is
a hard world for a woman to live in.  It's all work, and worry, and
losing, and giving up, and such like."

"There is a better world," said Ermine softly.

"There had need be.  I'm sure I deserve a bit of rest and comfort, if
ever a hard-working woman did.  I'll say nought about pleasure; more by
reason that I'm pretty nigh too much worn out and beat down to care
about it."

"Nay, friend," said Gerhardt; "we sinners deserve the under-world.  The
road to the upper lieth only through the blood and righteousness of our
Lord Christ."

"I don't know why you need say that," returned Isel with mild
resentment.  "I've been as decent a woman, and as good a wife and
mother, as any woman betwixt Grandpont and Saint Maudlin, let the other
be who she may,--ay, I have so, though I say it that hadn't ought.  But
you over-sea folks seem to have such a notion of everybody being bad, as
I never heard before--not even from the priest."

The Church to which Gerhardt belonged held firmly, as one of her most
vital dogmas, that strong view of human depravity which human depravity
always opposes and resents.  Therefore Gerhardt did but enunciate a
foundation-article of his faith when he made answer--

"`All the evil which I do proceeds from my own depravity.'"

"Come, you're laying it on a bit too thick," said Isel, with a shake of
her head.

"He only speaks for himself, don't you hear, Mother?" suggested Haimet

ful lonely without you when both my girls were gone. " 

 " But, dear Mother Isel, Flemild is not go far. " 

 " Not by the measurement - line, very like; but she's go far enough to be 
 Raven's wife, and not my daughter.   It make a deal of difference, that 
 dress.   And Derette's function further, after the like manner.   I sha'n't 
 see her, maybe, again, above a twelve times in my life.   Eh costly! this is 
 a unvoiced world for a woman to live in.   It's all work, and worry, and 
 fall back, and giving up, and such like. " 

 " There is a better worldly concern, " said Ermine softly. 

 " There had need be.   I'm sure I deserve a spot of rest and comfort, if 
 ever a hard - working charwoman did.   I'll say nought about pleasure; more by 
 reason that I'm pretty nigh too much worn out and beat down to care 
 about it. " 

 " Nay, friend, " said Gerhardt; " we sinners deserve the under - world.   The 
 road to the upper lieth only through the rake and righteousness of our 
 Lord Christ. " 

 " I don't know why you need say that, " retort Isel with meek 
 resentment.   " I've been as decent a woman, and as effective a wife and 
 mother, as any woman betwixt Grandpont and Saint Maudlin, let the other 
 be who she may,--ay, I have therefore, though I say it that hadn't ought.   But 
 you over - sea folks seem to have such a notion of everybody being regretful, as 
 I never heard before -- not even from the priest. " 

 The Church to which Gerhardt belonged held firmly, as one of her most 
 vital dogmas, that hard view of human depravity which human depravity 
 always opposes and resents.   consequently Gerhardt did but enunciate a 
 foundation - article of his faith when he made answer-- 

 " 'All the evil which I do proceeds from my own depravity.' " 

 " Come, you're lay it on a bit besides thick, " said Isel, with a shingle of 
 her head. 

 " He merely speaks for himself, don't you learn, Mother? " suggested Haimet
ful lonely without you when both my girls cwre goie."

"But, dsar Mothdr Isel, Flemild is not going fqr."

"Not by the measuring-line, xery like; but she'w gomng far enough to be
Ravek'f wirc, and iot my daughter.  It makes a deal of difxefeuce, that
does.  And Derette's going fureher, afyeg the same fasrion.  I sga'n't
see her, maybe, again, above a doaen timts in my life.  Eh cear! this is
a hard world flr a woman to live in.  It's all woti, age worry, and
lusing, and giving up, ans such like."

"There is a better wofld," scid Ermine wodtlj.

"Jhere had nexd be.  I'm sure I dcxerve d bit og rest and comnort, mf
evwr a hard-working womai did.  I'll say noughj about plaaaure; more by
reasob rhat H'm psetth nieh uoo mhch wogn kut and bezt down to xare
about it."

"Nay, fritnd," waid Gerhardt; "we signqrs deserve the under-world.  The
road to uhe ulper lieth only through the blood and rightelusness os our
Lord Christ."

"I don't know why you need say that," retucndd Nwel wkrh mild
resentment.  "I've been as decent a woman, ags ss good a wife akd
mother, as any wokaj ngtwixt Grandpovt and Sajnt Maudlin, let thf other
fe whi she may,--wy, I have so, though I say it thqt hadn't ougkt.  But
you over-sea fopks seem to havg such a notion of everybody yeing gad, as
I nevfr heard gdfore--not even frum nhe [riest."

Tht Church to which Derhardt uelonyed held firkly, as one of heg mosb
eital dogmas, that dtrony vief of human depravity which human depravitb
elways opposex dnd resents.  Thevefore Gerhardt did but enuncnate a
fobndatiun-article kf his haith when hq made answer--

"`Dpl the evil xhich I dj priceees from oy own depraviyy.'"

"Come, yol'rt laying ir on a bit too thigk," saks Isel, with a skckt if
her head.

"He omly spqans fjs himself, dot't yuu frar, Muther?" suggewged Naimet

ful lonely without you when both my gone." dear Mother Flemild is not measuring-line, like; but she's far enough to Raven's wife, and not my daughter. makes a deal of difference, that does. And Derette's going further, after the fashion. I sha'n't see her, maybe, again, above a dozen times in my Eh this a world for a woman to live in. It's all work, and worry, and losing, and giving and such like." "There is a better world," Ermine softly. "There had be. I'm sure I deserve bit rest and if a woman did. I'll nought about pleasure; more by reason that I'm pretty nigh too much worn out and beat down care about friend," said "we deserve under-world. The road upper lieth only through the blood our Lord Christ." "I don't know why you say that," Isel with mild resentment. "I've been decent a woman, and as good a wife mother, as any woman betwixt Grandpont and Saint Maudlin, let the other be who she have so, though I it that hadn't But over-sea seem have such notion of everybody being bad, as I never heard before--not even the priest." The Church to which Gerhardt belonged held firmly, of most vital dogmas, strong view of human which depravity always opposes and Gerhardt but of faith he made answer-- "`All evil which I do proceeds my own depravity.'" "Come, bit too thick," said Isel, with a shake her head. "He only speaks for himself, you hear, Mother?" suggested Haimet
ful lonely without you when boTh my girls wEre goNe."

"BUt, dEaR MotHer ISel, Flemild is noT GoinG far."

"Not by the measuring-lIne, veRy LIke; bUT sHe's goIng far eNOuGH To bE
RAvEn's WiFE, aNd not My dAughter.  it makes a deAl oF dIfference, thaT
DoEs.  And DeretTe's Going further, AftEr the sAmE faSHion.  I Sha'N't
see Her, mayBE, again, Above a dozEn TImes in MY life.  Eh DEAr! This Is
a hard world for a wOMaN To live in.  It's all Work, anD wORrY, ANd
lOsiNg, and givinG uP, and sUCh like."

"THErE IS A beTTer world," said ERmine softly.

"tHerE had neEd Be.  I'M Sure I dEservE a BIt oF rest and comFort, If
ever a haRd-workINg woman DId.  I'll saY noughT abOut PleaSUrE; mOre By
REasON tHat i'M prEtty nigh ToO mUch woRn ouT AND Beat DowN to cAre
abOut it."

"Nay, frienD," saId GeRHarDt; "we sInnerS desErVe the Under-wOrld.  THe
Road to the upper lIeth Only throuGh tHe BloOd And riGHteousNesS of Our
Lord christ."

"I DOn't KnOW WHy You need say that," retuRnED isEl with miLd
reseNTmEnT.  "i've been aS dEceNt a wOMAn, and As goOD a Wife and
mOther, aS AnY wOman betWiXt GranDpOnt And saint mAudlIn, let tHe other
bE who sHE may,--ay, I have so, tHOugh I say it thaT HaDN'T oUGht.  BUt
yOu over-sea foLks sEEm to Have SUcH a nOTion oF everYbODy BEing bad, as
I never hearD bEfore--nOt eveN from the priesT."

The Church TO WHich GerhArdt BElONged held firmly, As one Of her most
vITal dogmaS, that Strong viEw of human DEPravity wHicH huMan DepRAViTy
always opposES And rEsEnts.  TheRefOre GerhArdT diD buT enUnCiate a
fouNdation-aRtIcLe Of His Faith WHen he madE aNswEr--

"`all The evIL which i do prOceeDs FrOM my Own deprAViTY.'"

"come, YoU'rE layIng It On a biT too THicK," said IsEl, with a shAke OF
her HeAd.

"he only sPeaks for himseLf, Don't you heaR, MOthEr?" suggESTed HaimeT

ful lonely without you whe n both mygirls  we rego ne." 

"B ut, dear Mothe r  Ise l, Flemild is not goin g far ." 
"No t  b y the  measur i ng - l ine ,ve ryli k e;  butshe 's goin g far enou ghto  be
Raven'sw if e, and not  my  daughter. Itmakesadea l  of d iff erenc e, tha t 
does.   And Der et t e's go i ng furt h e r,  aft er the same fashi o n.  I sha'n't
see  her,ma y be , aga in,  above a d oz en ti m es in m y  l i f e . E h dear! thisis
a hard w o rld  for a  w oma n  to li ve in .It' s all work,  and  worry, a nd
los i ng, and givingup, an d s uch  lik e ." 
"Th er e  is abet t erworld,"sa id  Ermi ne s o f t l y.
"Th erehad n eed be.  I'msur e Id ese rve a  bitof r es t and  comfo rt, i fever a hard-wor king  woman di d. I 'll  s ay no u ght ab out  pl easure;  more b y 
re as o n th at I'm pretty nigh  t o o  m uch worn  out a n dbe a t down t ocar e
ab o u t it. "

" N ay , friend ," sai d  G er hardt;"w e sinn er s d ese rve t h e un der-wo rld.  Th e
roa d  to the upperl ieth only thr o ug h th e  blo odand righteo usne s s of  our Lo rdC hrist ."

" Id on ' t know why you need  s ay tha t," r eturned Iselwith mildr e s entment.   "I ' ve been as decent  a wo man, and a s  good awifeand
moth er, as an y woman be twi xtGra ndp o n tand Saint Mau d l in,le t the o the r
be wh o s hemay ,-- ay , I haveso, thou gh  I  s ay  it  that hadn't o ug ht.  But 
youo ver-se a fol ks s ee mt o h ave suc h  a n otio nof  eve ryb od y bei ng b a d,as
I ne ver heard  be f ore- -n ot  even f rom the pries t. "

The Chu rc h t o whic h Gerhardt  belonged held firmly,a s one o f h er mo st
v ital dogm as,  thatstr o ng vie w of h umande pra v i ty wh i c hhum an  depravity a lwa ys op po sesand res ents.  Therefore G e rha rdt did but e nun ciat e afou n da t ion -a r tic l e  of his faith w hen he mad ea ns wer--

"`A l l t he  evil w hich Ido pr o ceeds f rom my ow n depravi ty .'"" Com e, you'relaying i t on a bi t  toot hi ck,"sai d Isel ,wit h a s hake o f 
he r hea d.

"H eonly s peaks  f or himse lf, don't you hear, Mot her?"sugge ste d Haimet
ful lonely_without you_when both my girls_were gone."

"But,_dear_Mother Isel,_Flemild_is not going_far."

"Not by the_measuring-line, very like; but_she's going far_enough_to be
Raven's wife, and not my daughter.  It makes a deal of difference,_that
does._ And_Derette's_going_further, after the same fashion._ I sha'n't
see her, maybe,_again, above_a dozen times in my life.  Eh_dear!_this is
a hard_world for a woman to live in.  It's_all work, and worry, and
losing, and_giving up, and_such_like."

"There_is a better world,"_said Ermine softly.

"There had need be._ I'm sure I deserve a_bit of rest and comfort, if
ever a_hard-working woman did.  I'll say_nought about pleasure; more by
reason_that I'm_pretty nigh too much worn_out and beat_down to_care
about it."

"Nay, friend,"_said Gerhardt; "we sinners deserve the_under-world.  The
road_to the upper lieth only through_the_blood and righteousness_of_our
Lord_Christ."

"I don't_know why you_need_say that,"_returned_Isel with mild
resentment.  "I've been_as_decent a woman, and as good a_wife and
mother, as any_woman_betwixt Grandpont and Saint_Maudlin, let the other
be who_she may,--ay, I have so, though_I say_it that_hadn't ought.  But
you over-sea folks seem to have such a_notion of everybody being bad, as
I_never heard before--not even_from the_priest."

The_Church to which_Gerhardt_belonged held_firmly, as one of her most
vital dogmas,_that strong_view of human depravity which human_depravity
always opposes and resents.__Therefore Gerhardt did but enunciate a
foundation-article_of his faith when he made_answer--

"`All the evil which I_do_proceeds_from my own depravity.'"

"Come, you're_laying it on a bit too_thick," said Isel,_with a shake of
her head.

"He only speaks_for_himself, don't you hear, Mother?" suggested_Haimet
