"Are our merchants, bankers, lawyers, doctors and men holding
responsible trusts as fit for duty after a social debauch--is the
word too strong?--as before? If we reflect for a moment--you see,
Mr. Birtwell, in what current my thoughts have been running--it must
be clear to us that after every great entertainment such as you and
other good citizens are in the habit of giving many business and
professional mistakes must follow, some of them of a serious
character. All this crowds upon and oppresses me, and my wonder is
that it did not long ago so crowd upon and oppress me. It seems as
though scales had dropped suddenly from my eyes and things I had
never seen before stood out in clearest vision."
CHAPTER XXVII.
THEY were still in conversation when Mrs. Birtwell returned. Her
eyes were wet and her face pale and sorrowful. She sat down beside
her husband, and without speaking laid her head against him and
sobbed violently. Mr. Birtwell feared to ask the question whose
answer he guessed too well.
"How is it with our friend?" Mr. Elliott inquired as Mrs. Birtwell
grew calmer. She looked up, answering sorrowfully:
"It is all over," then hid her face again, borne down by excessive
emotion.
"The Lord bless and comfort his stricken ones," said the minister as
he arose and stood for a few moments with his hand resting on the
bowed head of Mrs. Birtwell. "The Lord make us wiser, more
self-denying and more loyal to duty.
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