garden, on the Lord's day.

Mr. Martin's parish church was about half a mile from the Manse. The walk
to it was pleasant, and presented a most lively scene, as Mr. and Mrs.
Martin set out, accompanied by the whole of their household, excepting
only one maid, who was left at home with Helen. John walked at Mr.
Martin's back, carrying the Psalm books and Bible.

As they turned down the holm, the path, as far as the eye could reach, was
sprinkled with men and women, dressed in the usual costume of the country,
which consists of a woollen plaid, of a black and white small checked
pattern, very simply thrown round the women's shoulders, as a scarf. The
men wear it over the right shoulder only, and tied loosely under the left
arm. The women seldom wear bonnets; they have either a beaver hat, like a
man's, or else wear a snow-white cap, tied under their chin, and usually
ornamented with a showy ribbon.

As Mr. Martin's family passed, every group stood still, making their bows
and curtsies in silence, for it would be reckoned rude to speak to the
Minister on his way to church; their greetings of enquiry being always
reserved till the service is over, when the older men and heads of
families look upon it as a sort of privilege, which they possess, to shake
hands with their pastor, enquire after his health, talk of the news of the
day, and not unfrequently give their opinion of the sermon he has just
been preaching. And indeed they are often much better qualified to judge
of such subjects, than the same class of society in other countries; which
arises from their having all been taught to read, as their fathers before
them had been, for several generations; and what has a most material
effect upon both their morals and conduct is, that their reading has been
properly directed to the study of the Holy Scriptures.