a soft boyish stammer; "but I am too dazed with happiness to be of any use."

"It's my turn to wait upon you, and I--Oh! how I love to have you dazed," Rose
answered. "I'll be at the table presently myself; but we have been
housekeeping only three minutes, and we have nothing but the tin coffee-pot
this morning, so I'll pour the coffee from the stove."

She filled a cup with housewifely care and brought it to Stephen's side. As
she set it down and was turning, she caught his look,--a look so full of
longing that no loving woman, however busy, could have resisted it; then she
stooped and kissed him fondly, fervently.

Stephen put his arm about her, and, drawing her down to his knee, rested his
head against her soft shoulder with a sigh of comfort, like that of a tired
child. He had waited for it ten years, and at last the dream room had come
true.





THE OLD PEABODY PEW

A Christmas Romance of a Country Church




DEDICATION