"We need you so badly," Mr. Soffy had pleaded, and that was enough for Venna's ready sympathy. So she undertook a class of ten year old boys—laughing, rollicking country lads who had the name of being the worst class in the school. Venna soon learned to manage them and had each one "adoring" her before the month was past. "Bud" was her favorite, and every day he made his appearance with a bunch of flowers and a few remarks containing the latest news of Ashfield.
Then her idea of being interested in the young girls materialized into a recreation club, which brought joy to the hearts of the girls and considerable planning to the mind of Venna. Picnics, entertainments for the church, club meetings, etc., were always on the programme, and the life of the Ashfield lassie was a happier affair since Mrs. Hadly entered town. Of course, there were some people who criticized.
"I'm not so sure," remarked Miss Harriet Haskell, "but that the girls are giving less thought to Mission study."
"I fear that it is sadly true," replied her sister Mary dubiously. "These city people will turn our girls' heads with their frivolous ideas. Does it not occur to you, Harriet, that it is rather queer that Mr. Hadly is too busy to come to Ashfield?"
"I should say so, indeed," replied Harriet Haskell, her thin lips tightening in strong disapproval. "Perhaps she's a divorced woman. Nothin' would surprise me now-a-days. We've had some strange 'goin's on' in this town sometimes. We'd better keep our eyes open, I'm thinkin'."
"That we had," returned sister Mary in her mild but sure tone. "Those curls are certainly coquettish. I don't like the arrangement of them. They're not the Lord's doin', I'm persuaded of that."
"The Lord never put it into the heart of any married woman to try to fascinate a young minister," returned Harriet more sharply. "If these calls don't lessen a bit, I'm going to speak to Mr. Soffy myself. Indeed he's too young and good to understand scheming women. And even if she were innocent, and very little hope I have of that, the talk is all over town and you know it doesn't take much to start gossip here. People won't mind their business. It's strange to me how evil-minded every one is."
"The world is very sinful, that's true," returned mild Mary piously. "We must try and counteract the influence of all these frivolous ideas Mrs. Hadly is introducing. I was told she had all the young people dancing at her house last night."
"I know she did. She can't deny it. Mr. Soffy was there, too, and didn't disapprove. Thank heaven he refused to dance himself. Really, we can expect anything now-a-days. I spoke to him this morning about it, and he said, 'Really, Miss Harriet, you can't expect young people to think of religion all the time. Let them dance and have a good time, as long as they're in good company.'"
"He said that?" asked Miss Mary in horrified disapproval. "Why only a month ago, I heard him tell a young lady dancing was an insidious sin."