Whom the Gods Destroyed (collection)/The Backsliding of Harriet Blake

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THE BACKSLIDING OF HARRIET BLAKE

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THE BACKSLIDING OF HARRIET BLAKETHE Rev. Mr. Freeland looked down the long, narrow poorhouse table, and then glanced inquiringly at the matron.
"What has become of Harriet Blake, Mrs. Markham?" he asked. "I thought she sat at this table—I hope she's not ill?"
"Harriet's backslid," announced the Widow Sheldon laconically. She was a Baptist, of the variety sometimes known as hard-shelled, and made nothing of interrupting the discourse of any representative of a denomination unpleasing to her.
"Backslid?" repeated the reverend guest, dropping his napkin.
"She don't believe in——"
"Harriet," interrupted the matron, somewhat crossly, and with an unconcealed frown for the Widow Sheldon, "Harriet is taking her dinner alone. She—she is not quite well, I think. I will ​speak to you about her later," she added as the pastor's eyes grew round at her. The widow Sheldon sniffed loudly.
"A person who has ter have her vittles carried up ter the bed-chamber on account o' losing any little faith she might 'a had," she began, but old Uncle Peterson broke in with his gentle drawl:
"Oh, come on, Mis' Sheldon, don't go and spile a good biled dinner wi

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