Going to Church. 49

 

and dusted the arm-chair for her with her clean
apron, and thanked her again and again for
coming.

My father was in great good-humour at the birth
of Monna’s fine heifer calf, and he received Miss
Churchill’s proposal with most alarming readiness,
“Yes,” he said, “no doubt it would be a good thing
for the boy. He could not say he wanted him
particularly at present, so if the lady liked to put him
to the school for a week ” And then he thanked

 

her for her kindness to me and for the books she
had given me, and the thing was settled.

I was in a fever of apprehension all the next day.
It was Sunday, so that I had no lesson from Miss
Churchill, or I should certainly have again besought
her not to send me into this lion’s den. I called to
mind all that Tommy had told me from time to
time of beatings and cuffings inflicted by the master ;
and the more I thought of it, the more dreadful did
the prospect appear.

OA