“I think you are mistaken, sir,” she said; “the single life is one of much more care and anxiety than the married.  Witness pa and ma; how happy they have lived for thirty-five years in this our homestead.”

“Although such may have been your experience, miss,” said Dr. Ugo, “I must beg leave to decline accepting it as an authority, particularly when I have my own experience, though not so venerable as yours, to balance it.  Besides, does not the inspired St. Paul tell us that those who are married are divided, and have heavier cares; while those who lead a single, chaste life, as he did, would be better able to serve God free from anxiety?”

“O, Paul,” she replied, “was very poor authority on the subject, being a bachelor when he wrote that passage.  Probably in after life his opinions underwent a change on the subject.  I am aware of his oddity in that way.”

“Do you joke, miss?” said the priest, solemnly.  “If you do not joke, I have no hesitation in saying you blaspheme, in thus trifling with the words of the Holy Ghost.”

“I am serious, sir,” she said; “it is your church that is guilty of misinterpretation of God’s word, and, in addition, denies its ‘free use’ to the people.”

“I hope my church, miss, will never allow her children to trifle with God’s holy word as you have now been guilty of,” said the priest.

“What’s this?  At theology again, Amanda?  I think you have met your match at last, daughter,” said Mr. Prying.  “This young lady has taken to the study of Scripture and theology,” continued he; “she and the several ministers who visit here are ever at controversy, and she seldom comes off second best, I tell you.”

“Don’t you speak so, father,” she said; “no, I don’t, neither.  I have been arguing with this gentleman about celibacy, and we can’t agree about the interpretation of a text; that’s all.  But this is the birthright of every American citizen, the right to differ; the right to read the word of God, and to interpret it each for himself, without let or hinderance.”

“I have no great desire, nor does it at all accord with my notions of propriety, I assure you,” said the priest, “to enter into controversial disputations around the fireside, in a family whose hospitality I am enjoying, and especially when a lady is my antagonist.”

“O you need not be particular,” said this female bore; “we are used to such discussions.  I had a few questions to put to you as a Catholic priest, of which I had taken notes, and my object is information on those points, as much as the refutation of your church doctrines.”

“Any information you require I am ready to afford, if in my power; but I have a horror—­I suppose from the invariable habit of my past life—­of introducing either political or religious discussions into the fireside family circle.”

“We are always disputing here,” she said.  “I am a Presbyterian, Cassius a Universalist, Wesley a Methodist, and Cyrus has taken to the spiritual rapping, and is a ‘medium.’  So you see controversy is no novelty here.”