was glad of the opportunity this diversion gave her to compose
herself before entering the church.

Almost everyone who has ever joined in our beautiful Consecration
Service, can imagine the feelings of some of the party from the
Vicarage--can figure to themselves Mrs. Woodbourne's quiet tears;
Dora's happy yet awe-struck face; Anne sympathizing with everyone,
rather than feeling on her own account; can think of the choking
overwhelming joy with which Elizabeth looked into little Edward's
wondering eyes, as the name of their father was read, the first among
those who petitioned the Bishop to set that building apart from all
ordinary and common uses; can feel, or perhaps have known, the
exultation with which she joined in the Psalms, and the swelling of
heart as she followed the prayer for a blessing on the families of
those who had been the means of the building of that House. But we
must go no farther; for, such thoughts and scenes are too high to be
more than touched upon in a story of this kind; therefore we will
only add, that Winifred and Edward behaved quite as well as Elizabeth
had engaged that they should do, only beginning to yawn just before
the end of the service.

After they had returned from the church, the luncheon at the Vicarage
gave ample employment to Elizabeth's hands, and nearly enough to her
thoughts, in carving cold chicken, and doing the honours of Merton
Hall peaches, at the side-table; and she was very glad, when at three
o'clock the company adjourned to the quadrangle, to see the school-
children's feast.

The quadrangle was enclosed on the north side by the old church, on
the south and west by the alms-houses, and on the east by the low