Phyllis of Philistia

respect and admiration. But the sermon had only attacked the Jewish system as a whole, and everyone knows that there is nothing piquant in an attack, however eloquent it may

individuals were subjected to an assault. People could listen for hours to an attack upon celebrated persons. If Mr. Holland's book had only dealt with the characteristics of the religion of the Jews, it would never have

p?"-that was the phrase of the critics. There was Solomon, for instance. He was usually regarded as a person of high intellectual gifts; but there was surely a good deal in his career which was susceptible of piquant treatment. And then someone said that Noah should have a chapter all to himself, also Lot

n. But all the same it was plain that the clergyman had fallen short of what was expected of him upon this occasion. His book had gone far, and it was fe

prosecution. It may be unorthodox to cross one's arms with the regularity of clockwork on coming to certain words in the service, and young clergymen had been prosecuted for less; but it was not unorthodox to speak

on for his lordship, pointing out its general harmo

ed, it seemed to Mr. Ayrton that there was a good deal in it that was calculated to soothe the nerves of those who had been shocked by the book. He said something

her condemnation of th

the statement in the Bible that they were God's chos

selves, at any rate," said her fath

are to be restored to the

uld like to see the prosp

are to be restored; it says s

otherwise. They couldn't live in their own land, assuming that it is their own, which is going pretty far. Palestine wouldn't support all the J

le, and I have faith,

ose girls who expect to be regarded as advanced, because they scoff at the Bible and

mpossible," said

most of us, at times, than religion. I wonder if it will make a victim

mean," said Phyllis, with onl

e meant until six months ha

like other daughters. He prayed that she might never become like other daughters. He thought that it would be good fo

being examined through a pince-nez as if she were a curious specimen, and a woman or two smiled derisively at her. She did not kno

ance I had. God bless you, my child! You have given your testim

her felt a thrill of gratitude on reflecting that she had

shown that the truth is more to you than-than love-the love of man-all that women hold

olor, and kept her eyes fixed on

ise of her act of having given Mr. Holland his conge on ac

Holland had spread abroad the account of her ill-treatment of him-he would naturally allude to it as ill-treatment. The quick judgment of Ella Linton had enabled her to perceive how valuable to Mr. Holland was the incident of his rejection by Phyllis. As a beginning of his persecution, its importance could scarcely be overestimated. But it did not take Phyllis long to reassure herself on this matter. It was, of course, Ella who had given the incident publicity. She had done so for two reasons: first, in or

s, she had in view. Mr. Holland put in an appearance in one o

e bringing into the same room two persons who had given unmistakable evidence of possessing a conscience apiece-the woman who had sacrifi

of its being quite appropriate in regard to a clergyman, and that it was not altogether out of place on the part of a spinster, pr

y up the first of Mrs. Linton's rooms. She did not hear her

ach other quite cordially; and if they do, no one here will believe that their e

make himself generally useful. She gave him his instructions too late, however. B

l he had shaken hands with Phyllis, and was chatting with her and Mrs. Linton quite pleasantly-much too pleasantly for a

hey asked one another, that she had indeed given his dismissal to Mr. Holland the previous week? Why, they were chatting together as pleasantly as they had ever chatted. Had not the people who talked so gli

ang delightfully-delightfully; sufficiently loud to enable all the guests who wanted to talk to do so without inconvenience, and at the same time not so loud as to become obtrusive. It is so seldom that a quartette party manage to

, a man was just entering the first drawing room-a ma

her, for her face had suddenly lighted up,

to perceive that she knew hi

y part of Europe, since he had returned from New Guinea with the tail feath