The words of his mouth live with a spirit of doubt, incredulity, and jealousy. Actions, thoughts, motives, are questioned as to their reality and disinterestedness. Good counsel given in time of perplexity is attributed to some ulterior purpose which is kept out of view. Gifts of beneficence are said to be deeds of selfishness--patronage is expected in an affair you have on hand, or you anticipate as much or more in return in some other ways. A family visited with a severe affliction is suspected to have the cause in some secret moral delinquency in the father, or mother, or elder son or daughter. A merchant meets with reverses in his business, and he is suspected of something wrong, for which these reverses are sent as punishment. A traveller meets with an accident, by which a member of his body is fractured or life taken away: he is suspected of having been a great sinner before God, for which His vengeance now visits him. The suspicious talker may be found in one or other phase of his character in almost every class and grade of society. How often the husband suspects the wife, and the wife the husband; the master the servant, and the servant the master; brothers suspect brothers; sisters sisters; neighbours neighbours; the rich the poor; the poor the rich. The talk of the suspicious is bitter, stinging, exasperating. How often it ends in jealousy, strife, quarrels, separations, and other evils of a similar kind! This talk seldom or ever effects any good. It more frequently excites to the very thing on which the suspicion has fixed its demon eye, but of which the subject of the suspicion was never guilty. Suspicious talk, like many other kinds, has frequently no foundation to rest upon, excepting the fancy of an enfeebled mind or the ill-nature of an unregenerate heart. * * * * * "That was a very nice present which Mr. Muckleton sent you on Christmas-Day," said Mr. Birch to his neighbour. "O, yes," he replied in a sort of careless way; "I _know_ what he sent it for--that he may get my vote at the next election of town councillors. I can see through it." "Did not Mr. Shakleton call at your house the other day? and were you not pleased to see him?" "So far as that goes, I was pleased; but I _know_ what he called for; not to see me or mine. It is not worth saying, but I _know_." "Has not Mrs. Mount recently joined your church? She is an excellent lady, of very good means and intelligence. I should think you will value her acquisition to your number." "Well, as for that, I cannot say. I like persons to act from pure motives in all things, especially in religious. Don't you know Mrs. Mount is a widow, and there is in our church that Squire Nance, a bachelor? I needn't say any more." "The Rev. Mr. Wem has left our church and gone to a church in London." "Indeed! I was not aware of that, but I guess it is to obtain more salary." "How do you know that?"