Going to Church. 41
rushed out of church among the first. I longed to
turn back and tell Miss Churchill how much I had
enjoyed it, but she was walking beside Mrs.
Prickard’s Bath chair, and I dared not go up to
her.

I accompanied Tommy to his door, gave back the
crimson comforter with a sigh of relief, and hastened
home. I was received by Nance with enquirics
whether I expected that they were going to wait
all night for me. She did not know what children
were coming to, not she. When she was a child,
so sure as one of them went off without leave a that
way, away they might pack to bed without their
supper, and quite right too,

I had learnt that it was of no use answering old
“ Tinder-and-Flint,” so I waited until she had talked
herself out of breath ; and then my father asked,
“Where have you been, Reuben ?”

“To church, father,” Isaid. ‘“ Oh, it was so nice
—the singing was beautiful. I wish you had been
there too, you would have liked it.”

“And what put you upon going there ?” inter-
rupted Nance. “Do you think I don’t see you,
trying to poke yourself into the gentlefolks’
notice? Much good you'll get by it! Why, you
just went so as your Miss Churchill might see you
there.”