"To take things as they air," was a cardinal aphorism in Mr. Snow's budget of wisdom. It was a good starting-point for any range of reasoning, and exceedingly useful to a man of limited intellect and little moral courage. The real truth of the case had dawned upon Miss Butterworth, and it had rankled in the breast of Mrs. Snow from the beginning of his pointless talk. He was afraid of offending Robert Belcher, for not only did his church need repairing, but his salary was in arrears, and the wolf that had chased so many up the long hill to what was popularly known as Tom Buffum's Boarding House he had heard many a night, while his family was sleeping, howling with menace in the distance. Mrs. Snow rebelled, in every part of her nature, against the power which had cowed her reverend companion. There is nothing that so goads a spirited woman to madness as the realization that any man controls her husband. He may be subservient to her--a cuckold even--but to be mated with a man whose soul is neither his own nor wholly hers, is to her the torment of torments. "I wish Robert Belcher was hanged," said Mrs. Snow, spitefully. "Amen! and my name is Butterworth," responded that lady, making sure that there should be no mistake as to the responsibility for the utterance. "Why, mother!" exclaimed the three hisses Snow, in wonder. "And drawn and quartered!" added Mrs. Snow, emphatically. "Amen, again!" responded Miss Butterworth. "Mrs. Snow! my dear! You forget that you are a Christian pastor's wife, and that there is a stranger present." "No, that is just what I don't forget," said Mrs. Snow. "I see a Christian pastor afraid of a man of the world, who cares no more about Christianity than he does about a pair of old shoes, and who patronizes it for the sake of shutting its mouth against him. It makes me angry, and makes me wish I were a man; and you ought to go to that meeting to-morrow, as a Christian pastor, and put down this shame and wickedness. You have influence, if you will use it. All the people want is a leader, and some one to tell them the truth." "Yes, father, I'm sure you have a _great_ deal of influence," said the elder Miss Snow. "A great _deal_ of influence," responded the next in years. "Yes, indeed," echoed the youngest. Mr. Snow established the bridge again, by bringing his fingers together,--whether to keep out the flattery that thus came like a subtle balm to his heart, or to keep in the self-complacency which had been engendered, was not apparent. He smiled, looking benevolently out upon the group, and said: "Oh, you women are so hasty, so hasty, so hasty! I had not said that I would not interfere. Indeed, I had pretty much made up my mind to do so. But I wanted you in advance to see things as they air. It may be that something can be done, and it certainly will be a great satisfaction to me if I can be the humble instrument for the accomplishment of a reform."