The minister's general custom on Thanksgiving Day was to get off a political sermon reviewing the State of New England, the United States of America, and Europe, Asia, and Africa; but it may be doubted if all the affairs of all these continents produced as much sensation among the girls in the singers' seat that day as did the news that James Pitkin had gone to sea on a four years' voyage.

Curious eyes were cast on Diana Pitkin, and many were the whispers and speculations as to the part she might have had in the move; and certainly she looked paler and graver than usual, and some thought they could detect traces of tears on her cheeks.

Some noticed in the tones of her voice that day, as they rose in the soprano, a tremor and pathos never remarked before--the unconscious utterance of a new sense of sorrow, awakened in a soul that up to this time had never known a grief.
For the letter had fallen on the heads of the Pitkin household like a thunderbolt.

Biah came in to breakfast and gave it to Mrs.Pitkin, saying that James had handed him that last night, on his way over to take the midnight stage to Salem, where he was going to sail on the _Eastern Star_ to-day--no doubt he's off to sea by this time.

A confused sound of exclamations went up around the table, while Mrs.Pitkin, pale and calm, read the letter and then passed it to her husband without a word.