Come back early for supper or you won't get none, for all three of
us are a-going to prayer meeting."

"I'll be here, and thank you for-crumbs of attention," answered the
Doctor, and, with a laughing glance at both his mother and Miss
Wingate he took himself off in the direction of the barn, for the
purpose of saddling his horse for his afternoon visit to his
patients beyond the Nob.

"Ain't he good to look at?" asked Mother Mayberry as she watched his
tall figure swing down the garden path. "Good looks in a man can be
a heap of pleasure to a woman, but she mustn't let on to him."

"I believe," said Miss Wingate in an impersonally judicial tone of
voice, "that Doctor Mayberry is the very handsomest man I ever saw.
One would almost call him beautiful. It isn't entirely that he is so
tall and grand and has such eyes, but--do you know I think it is
because he is so like you that he is so lovely." And the singer lady
tucked her hand into Mother Mayberry's with a shy blush.

"Liking folks kinder shines 'em up, same as furniture polish, honey-
bird," laughed Mother Mayberry with delight at the compliment.
"You're a-rubbing some on me and Tom Mayberry. But he were the best
favored baby I 'most ever saw, if I do say it, as shouldn't."

"Oh!" said Miss Wingate delightedly, "I know he must have been
lovely! What was he like?"

"Well," answered Mother reminiscently, "he were about like he are
now. He come so ugly I cried when I seen him first, and Doctor