"Oh, grandpa," she said, taking the offered seat, and giving him a hug and kiss, "gentlemen have no curiosity, you know. Still, now it's settled, we don't care if you do hear all about it." Both he and his wife highly approved, and the latter, seeing an interested yet regretful look on poor Molly's face, asked, "Why should we not have, in addition, a female prayer-meeting of our own? We have more than twice the number necessary to claim the promise." The suggestion was received with favor by all the ladies present, time and place were fixed upon, and then, that they might be the better prepared to engage in this new effort to serve the Master, they agreed to take the subject of prayer for that evening's Bible study. But once entered upon, they found it so interesting, comprehensive and profitable a theme that they devoted several evenings to it. The children as well as their elders were continually finding discrepancies between the teachings of the Bible and those of Mr. Jones, and Elsie was not a little relieved to learn that the time for which his services had been engaged had now nearly expired. She hoped there was no danger that he would be requested to remain. One day as she was leaving the quarter, where she had been visiting the sick, Uncle Ben, now very old and feeble, accosted her respectfully. "Missus, I'se be bery thankful to hab a little conversation wid you when it suits yo' convenience to talk to dis chile." "What is it, Uncle Ben?" she asked. "May I walk 'longside ob de Missus up to de house?" he returned. "Certainly, Uncle Ben, if you feel strong enough to do so." "Tank you, Missus; do dese ole limbs good to stretch 'em 'bout dat much. It's 'bout Massa Jones I'se want to converse wid you, Missus. I hear dey's talkin' 'bout invitin' him to stay, and I want to ascertain if you intends to put him ober dis church." "I, Uncle Ben!" she exclaimed, "I put a minister over your church? I have no right and certainly no wish to do any such thing. It is for the members to choose whom they will have." "But you pays de money and provides de house for him, Missus." "That is true; but it does not give me the right to say who he shall be. Only if you should choose one whose teachings I could not approve--one who was not careful to teach according to God's word--I should feel that I could not take the responsibility of supporting him." "I'se glad of dat, Missus," he said with a gleam of satisfaction in his eyes; "'cause I'se want de Bible truff and nuffin else. And young Massa Jones, he preach bery nice sometimes, but sometimes it 'pears like he disremembers what's in de bressed book, and contradicts it wid some of his own notions." "Then you don't wish him to stay?" "No, Missus, dat I don't! hopin' you won't be displeased wid me for sayin' it." "Not at all, Uncle Ben: I find the very same objection to him that you do."