transgressions, pardon our trespasses. Wash us, that we may be whiter
than snow. Hide not Thy face from the eyes of Thy children, turn not
upon us in wrath. Pity us, Lord, as we kneel here prostrate before Thy
majesty and glory. Let the words of our mouths and the meditations of
our hearts, be acceptable in Thy sight, O Lord, our strength and our
Redeemer. And finally save us, an unbroken family around Thy throne in
Heaven, for Jesus' sake. Amen."

This was followed by an electric silence. Prudence was biting her lips
painfully, and counting by tens as fast as she could. Fairy was mentally
going over the prayer, sentence by sentence, and attributing each
petition to the individual member in the old church at Exminster to whom
it belonged. The twins were a little amazed, and quite proud. Connie
was an honor to the parsonage,--but they were concerned lest they
themselves should do not quite so well when their days came.

But in less than a moment the minister-father began his prayer. His
voice was a little subdued, and he prayed with less fervor and abandon
than usual, but otherwise things went off quite nicely. When he said,
"Amen," Prudence was on her feet and half-way up-stairs before the others
were fairly risen. Fairy stood gazing intently out of the window for a
moment, and then went out to the barn to see if the horse was through
eating. Mr. Starr walked gravely and soberly out the front door, and
around the house. He ran into Fairy coming out the kitchen door, and
they glanced quickly at each other.

"Hurry, papa," she whispered, "you can't hold in much longer! Neither
can I!"

And together, choking with laughter, they hurried into the barn and gave