"I had made out, by the aid of Christian friends, a moral and religious chart of the place, by sketching on paper the streets and roads, with the names of the families living on them, together with such information about the spiritual condition of the inhabitants as I needed to guide conversation." Among the residents was a Mr. D., who was represented to be a bold, swearing man, high-tempered, and abusive to those of evangelical faith. He had once belonged to a Christian church, but getting into difficulty with some of the members, he became imbittered, and ceased to attend the meetings, even on the Sabbath. Ere long he took to drinking, became profane, would work at his trade on the Lord's day, himself and his numerous household becoming openly hostile to the interests of religion, and advocates of the doctrine of Universalism. Such was the account of him as given me by his grieved pastor, and others of his former friends, who had long since given up all hope of his restoration. Mr. D. I found at his blacksmith's shop, a brawny, dark-browed man. He was blowing at the bellows. Approaching him with my basket on my arm, I said,— "I have called, sir, with some choice books and tracts; would you like one?" The old man turned upon me in a tempest of passion. "What did you bring your miserable fire-and-brimstone trash here for?" pouring forth a torrent of coarse and insulting appellatives. Waiting till the ebullition subsided, I gently said,—for a rising pity overpowered all natural resentments,— "I ask your pardon, sir; I did not design to intrude on you, but knowing that the works I have are the productions of some of the best minds, and that they are intended to benefit those who read them, I ventured to offer them to you." [Illustration: A SOFT ANSWER. Frontier.] He stood silent a moment. Then, softened, said,— "I will buy one of them;" and taking up the first volume that came to hand,—a work on the Sabbath,—left a piece of silver in its place, and returned to his task. "I heard that you called on Mr. D. at his shop," said the good minister to me, next day; "how did he receive you?" I described the interview. By way of comment, he said,— "Well, the book he purchased was just what he needed. I hope he will read it, but I fear he will not." Three months after, as I was passing through the place, I called again on the clergyman. "I have a desire to know," said I, "if you have seen any fruits of my labor in your parish?" "Yes," he replied, with a pleased smile, "I have. My congregation has been larger since, than for years. And," he added, "do you remember Mr. D., the blacksmith, who treated you so outrageously, but relented, and bought a little treatise on the Sabbath? What was my astonishment, a few Sundays after, to see that man and all his family come into church! They have been regular attendants ever since."