When the Rev. Mr. Dokesbury went to bed
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he young minister woke early on the Sab-bath morning, and he may be forgiven that theprospect of the ordeal through which he had topass drove his care for ’Lias‘out of mind for thefirst few hours. But as he walked to church,flanked on one side by, Aunt Caroline in thestiffest of ginghams and on the other by herhusband stately in the magnificence of an anti-quated “¢ Jim-swinger,” his mind went back tothe boy with sorrow. Where was he? Whatwas he doing? Had the fear of a dull churchservice frightened him back to his old habits andhaunts? There was a new sadness at thepreacher’s heart as he threaded his way downthe crowded church and ascended the rudepulpit. The church was stiflingly hot, and the morn-ing sun still beat relentlessly in through theplain windows. ‘The seats were rude woodenbenches, in some instances without backs. Tothe right, filling the inner corner, sat the pillars 52
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