He came early because he felt that he could not endure the thought of
entering a crowded church and then suffered torment as one by one the
congregation nodded to him or addressed him in sepulchral whispers.
When, however, Grandma Wentworth sat down beside him and visited
comfortably before services, and Nan Ainslee stopped to thank him for
something or other he had done for her the week before, he felt better.

As soon as Jim Tumley began to sing and the minister to talk Hank
forgot about himself and became absorbed in the proceedings. He told
the minister later that he'd meant to keep an eye on things for him but
that he got so interested he'd forgotten. About all that he had
observed was that Mrs. Sloan passed her handkerchief a little too
frequently and publicly to the little Sloans. Hank said he thought
they were old enough to have handkerchiefs of their own. He also felt
sure, he said, that Mrs. Osborn and Mrs. Pelham, Jr. were on the outs
again, because of the fact that though Mrs. Pelham's switch was falling
loose and Mrs. Osborn sitting right behind her saw it, she made no
effort to repin it or tell the unfortunate woman about it. Hank
further informed the minister that that second Crawley boy was a limb
and closed his observations by asking the Reverend John Roger Churchill
Knight if he didn't think Nanny Ainslee was the prettiest girl in
church? Whereupon the minister promptly agreed with him.

That, then, was Hank Lolly's introduction to a proper and conventional
religious life. Hank, as soon as he felt sure that he was going to
survive the experience, became wonderfully interested and the next
Sunday reappeared with Barney in tow. It seems that Barney also had
been provided with a new suit and accessories and Hank had promptly
demanded his presence in church.