DYER'S HOLLOW. 69 



Methodist society. On its front were the 

 scars of several small holes which had been 

 stopped and covered with tin. A resident 

 of the Castle assured me that the mischief 

 had been done by pigeon woodpeckers, 

 flickers, a statement at which I inwardly 

 rejoiced. Long ago I had announced my be- 

 lief that these enthusiastic shouters must be 

 of the Wesleyan persuasion, and here was 

 the proof ! Otherwise, why had they never 

 sought admission to the more imposing and, 

 as I take it, more fashionable orthodox sanc- 

 tuary? Yes, the case was clear. I could 

 understand now how Darwin and men like 

 him must have felt when some great hypoth- 

 esis of theirs received sudden confirmation 

 from an unexpected quarter. At the same 

 time I was pained to see that the flickers' 

 attempts at church-going had met with such 

 indifferent encouragement. Probably the 

 minister and the class leaders would have 

 justified their exclusivehess by an appeal to 

 that saying about those who enter "not by 

 the door into the sheepfold ; " while the wood- 

 peckers, on their part, might have retorted 

 that just when they had most need to go in 

 the door was shut. 



