The Puritan Twins by Lucy Fitch Perkins
page 30 of 95 (31%)
page 30 of 95 (31%)
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oh, Daniel, I beg of thee to wash thy hands before going to the table!
The Governor is a proper man and my aunt is very particular." She paused for breath, and to get more brown-bread for the table. When she sat down again, Daniel said, "If you please, I think I 'd rather go on to Provincetown with the Captain." "That must be as we are guided at the time," said his father. The busy day passed quickly, and before sunset a fine array of pies and brown loaves were cooling on the table, the chores were done, and a Sabbath quiet had settled down over the household, not to be broken until sunset of the following day. When Daniel opened the cabin door the next morning, he was confronted by a wall of gray mist which shut the landscape entirely from view. He had hoped to catch a glimpse of the Lucy Ann, in order to assure himself that he had not merely dreamed the events of the day before, but nothing could he see, and he began dispirited preparations for church. They had no clock, and on account of the fog they could not tell the time by the sun, so the whole family started early to cross the long stretch of pasture land which lay between them and the meeting-house in the village. They reached it just as Gran'ther Wattles, looking very grave and important, came out on the church steps and beat a solemn tattoo upon a drum to call the people together. They came from different directions across the fields and through the one street of the village, looking anxious for fear they should be late, yet not daring to desecrate the Sabbath by any appearance of haste. Among the rest, red-faced and short of wind, who should appear but Captain Sanders? Sabbath decorum forbade any show of |
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