Mary looked inquiringly at Billy, and a smile but little according
with his mother's seeming distress parted his lips as he whispered,
"She was reading yesterday about a woman that had been bed-ridden with
a spinal difficulty, and now she declares that she too 'has got a
spine in her back,' though I fancy she would be in a pretty
predicament without one. But where did you get that fright of a
bonnet?" he continued. "It's like looking down a narrow lane to see
your face."

Mary knew that Billy was very observing of dress, and she blushed
painfully as she replied, that Mrs. Campbell gave it to her.

"Well, she ought to be ashamed," said he, "with all her money to give
you a corn-basket of a thing like that. Ella doesn't wear such a one,
I can tell you."

Just then the first bell rang, and Sal, who had mischievously
recommended a mustard poultice, as being the most likely to draw Mrs.
Bender's spine to a head, started to go saying, "she wanted to be
there in season, so as to see the folks come in."

Accordingly they again set forward, attracting more attention, and
causing more remarks, than any two who had passed through Chicopee for
a long time. On reaching the church, Sal requested the sexton to give
her a seat which would command a view of the greater part of the
congregation, and he accordingly led them to the farthest extremity of
one of the side galleries. Mary had been there at church before, but
as she had always sat near the door, she did not know in what part of
the building Mrs. Campbell's pew was located. As she leaned over the