young gentlemen had yet worn stocking or sock, but what came from her
needles, and had been re-footed by her to the last extremity of wear.

Meantime, Felix and Clement walked with their father to the church.
There it was, that handsome church; the evening sun in slanting beams
coming through the gorgeous west window to the illuminated walls, and
the rich inlaid marble and alabaster of the chancel mellowed by the
pure evening light. The east window, done before glass-painting had
improved, was tame and ill-executed, and there was, even
aesthetically, a strange unsatisfactory feeling in looking at the
heavy, though handsome, incrustations and arcades of dark marble that
formed the reredos. It was all very correct; but it wanted life.

Mr. Bevan was not there, he had gone out to dinner, and the
congregation consisted of some young ladies, old men, and three
little children. Mr. Audley read all, save the Absolution and the
Lessons; and the responses sounded low and feeble in the great
church, though there was one voice among them glad and hearty in
dedicating and entrusting the new year of his life with its unknown
burthen.

Felix had heard sayings and seen looks which, boldly as his sanguine
spirit resisted them, would hang in a heavy boding cloud over his
mind, and were already casting a grave shadow there.

And if the thought of his fivefold gift swelled the fervour of his
'Amen' to the General Thanksgiving, there was another deep heartfelt
Amen, which breathed forth earnest gratitude for the possession of
such a first-born son.