ince it happened! Think of that for a memory! And she sitting in her
pew with a face as smooth as a dish o' cream.

"Well, I was churchwarden that year, and of course had to take the plate
round. When I comes to the Rector's pew I see Mrs. Abel openin' a little
purse. First she takes out a sovereign, and then a shilling, and says to
me, quite clear, as she dropped 'em into the plate, 'All right, Mr.
Church, I'll be even with you yet! And here's another two pounds
fifteen. You can tell Charley Shott and Tom Henderson, and all the lot
on 'em, as they've paid for their Sunday 'ats. And give 'em all my kind
regards.' Then she counts the money out as deliberate as if she were
payin' the cook's wages, and drops it into the plate wi' a clatter as
could be heard all over the church. She must ha' kep' me waitin' full
two minutes, all the congregation starin' and wonderin' what was up, and
me lookin' like a silly calf.

"When I come out of church my wife says to me, 'Sam, what's that you and
Mrs. Abel was whispering about?' 'You mind your own business,' I says,
and for the first time since we were married we was very near coming to
words."

A GRAVEDIGGER SCENE

It was Sunday evening, and the congregation had dispersed. I was
making my way into the church to take a last look at a famous
fourteenth-century tomb. Not a soul was visible; but the sound of a pick
and the sight of fresh earth announced that the sexton was at work
digging a grave. I walked to the spot. A bald head, the shining top of
which was now level with the surface of the ground, raised the hope that
he would prove to be a sexton of the old school. I was not disappointed.

"Good evening," I said.

"A good evening to you, sir," said the sexton, pausing in his work with
the air of a man who welcomed an excuse to rest.

"And whose grave is that you're digging?" I asked.

"Old Sally Bloxham--mother to Tom Bloxham--him as keeps the 'Spotted
Pig.' And a bad job for him as she's gone. If it hadn't been for old
Sally he'd ha' drunk hisself to death long ago. And who may _you_ be?"
he asked, as though realising that this sudden burst of confidential
information was somewhat rash.

"Oh, I'm nobody in particular. Just passing through and taking a look
around."

"Ah! there's lots as comes lookin' round, nowadays. More than there used
to be. Why, bless your life, I remember the time when you nivver seed a
soul in this village except the home-dwellers. And now