The Van Buren press., 1898-10-29

ilOuIS at ledSl-eNen II leF a1IeGIlODS
had been bestowed elsewhere; and at
all events, he was certain to have the
pleasure of walking home with her
from the church, and so he smiled
tire, sailed forth with, as he put it
himself, "his best foot foremost"
Now the day was very warm and
close, and everyone declared that
there was thunder in the air, and the
insects were more tireSome than ever
that morning in the church. and kept
buz-bHz-buzzing round poor Betty's
bonnet and then knocked against her
face, or crawled down her neck; and
through the open door there came
the faint "ga-ga" from the goose who
lived on the green; the heat was tel
ing on the poor old bird, who, as the
villagers would tell you, had seen close
on a hundred. years of life, and it
gave vent to a mournful noise, eX-
pressiye of entire disapproval when
the sun shone unusually bright on her
poor old back.
And surely dear mamma had more
than her proper share of room in the
square pew withits hard, straight back
and rough red cushions! Betty had
never been so near the wall before
why she could rest her head againstit
quite easily too, without inclining her
little person to the right at ALL and
surely there were more steps to the
pulpit than there used to be. Mr..
Pottle was an endless while mounting
to the top-ah, there he was, his little
round face beaming in benevolent
smile over the heads of his devoted
flock
And the text ?-buz-b buz- buz-z-z-z.
Betty had TO watch the progress of
that wasp-it was crawling along the
pew in front and had nearly reached
Miss Janet's neck, the little bit that
showed between her bonnet and the
frill round the top of her low-cut
gown. Why even the wasp seemed
stupefied by the heat it tried to fly,
and then, fell to the ground. "Ga-ga," +"
laughed the goose, as if she'd seen and
thoroughly enjoyed the defeated plan
of attack on poor Miss Janet, and Bet
ty smiled. Suddenly she started up
right, Mr.. Pottle was just commenc-
ing the firstly ly"-what had the text
been?
Yes, she could see the preacher de-
cidedly better if her little bonnet Just
touched the cool stone wall, but he
looked SO queer that day, so much
bigger and all in a sort of mist-buz-
buz-z-z-z-and so much further away
why it was Donald after all, and it
was not a pulpit she was looking at,
just a
Betty, Betty, Betty" in deep and
earnest whisper. "Sit up my dear,
pretend you were faint, your head fell
forward, you were fast asleep and
everyone can see you, it's disgraceful.
Sit up, there, there, are you better
dear?" This in louder tone-"Take
my fan and I will help you into the
fresh air!"
And Betty, blushing with confusion
at having fallen asleep in church, bent
her head and leaning on her mothers
arm managed somehow to stumble to
the porch.
And the two good parsons were full
of concern, as they joined the ladies
later.
Well, it had been close and the
church was very warm, and there had
been large congregation
Poor Miss Betty-would she take
a glass of wine before starting on her
walk? No? Then should they walk
slowly on?" Donald whispered-she
could lean on his arm and Lady Ma
tilda would be only too glad of few
moments conversation with the vicar.
Betty murmured, Very we'll" and
she took his arm; he was so kind, and
oh, so very believing, and so sorry she
had been faint; and all the while?
All, she couldn't confess it now-after
having declared she liked the vicar s
sermon so!
"Can you walk?" Donald asked her,
as she knocked her foot against the
gateway which led on to the village
green.
Eyes, yes" impatiently, and then she
added: Thank you"
"Are you still faint, Miss BettyP
Won't you look up! won't You let me
see your dear little face?" And Donald
touched the rim of her bonnet with his
hand.
Then Betty did a strange thing
she sprang from his side, and threw
back her head, and laughed, and
laughed, and laughed again.
I'm a horrid, naughty girl" she
said; my faintness was sham-an
excuse-O, Donald, first glancing
carefully round to see the others were
out Of sight-"O, Donald-I-I fell fast
asleep" and her eyes dropped and
sought the ground and Ter face was
crimson-she was waiting for his
clerical reproof.
For a moment Donald Campbell
stared at her in silence, and then with
n ight-hearted laugh he caught her in
his arms.
Don't look so sweet, my darling, or
I shall kiss you quite away" he said,
and then in n solemn tone; "The
wears sermon, tool"
Somehow she didn't mind his reproof
at all. she only blushed the more, and
when he did kiss her once, if you will
believe me, she held up her rosy lips
for more-and there was no one to see
but the goose, and she, poor thing, was
very old and feeble. And laughing
like a pair of happy children they re-
turned by the path they had come to
ask the blessing of the elder couple on
them both.