To my astonishment, I found the family all gathered in solemn
order; the house servants at one end of the room, my aunt,
Miss Pinshon and Preston at the other, and before my aunt a
little table with books. I got a seat as soon as I could, for
it was plain that something was waiting for me. Then my aunt
opened the Bible and read a chapter, and followed it with a
prayer read out of another book. I was greatly amazed at the
whole proceeding. No such ceremony was ever gone through at
Melbourne; and certainly nothing had ever given me the notion
that my aunt Gary was any more fond of sacred things than the
rest of the family.

"An excellent plan," said Miss Pinshon, when we had risen from
our knees and the servants had filed off.

"Yes," my aunt said, somewhat as if it needed an apology; —
"it was the custom in my father's and grandfather's time; and
we always keep it up. I think old customs always should be
kept up."

"And do you have the same sort of thing on Sundays, for the
out-of-door hands?"

"What?" said my aunt. It was somewhat more abrupt than polite;
but she probably felt that Miss Pinshon was a governess.

"There were only the house servants gathered this morning."

"Of course; part of them."