e village came men,
women, and children. They were always ready when the drum began to beat,
for no one was ever late to meeting in those days.

Master Brown led his family to their pew and opened a little door to let
them in. The pew was very much like a large box with seats around the
sides.

The church was cold, for there was no fire. The children warmed their
fingers and toes by the queer little foot stove their father had brought
from home.

When every one was seated, the minister climbed the steps to his high
pulpit. The sermon was always very long--three hours at least. The
children could not understand what it was all about, and it was very
hard for them to sit still and listen quietly.

Elizabeth was four years older than Hope, so she felt quite like a
little woman. She sat up beside her mother and looked at the minister
almost all the time; but sometimes she had to wink hard to keep awake.
When she thought she could not let her feet hang down another minute,
she would slip down to the footstool to rest.

Elizabeth was often ashamed of Hope, who could not sit still ten
minutes. She tried to listen to the sermon, but could not. When she
began to stir about a little, her mother shook her head at her. She sat
still for a few minutes, but was soon restless again.

Presently she began to be sleepy and laid her head upon her father's arm
for a nap. Just then she felt something in his pocket. A happy smile
came over Hope's face; she was wide-awake now. Slipping her hand into
the wide pocket, she drew out Mary Ellen and smoothed her wrinkled gown.

Master Brown's thoughts were all on the sermon, and even Mistress Brown
did not notice Hope for a little time. When she did, what do you suppose
she saw? Hope was standing on the seat showing her doll to the little
girl in the pew behind her.

Oh, how ashamed her mother was! She pulled her little daughter down
quickly and whispered, "Do you want the tithingman to come? Well, sit
down and listen." Taking Mary Ellen, she slipped the doll into her muff.

Little Hope did sit down and listen. She did not even turn around when
the kind lady behind them dropped a peppermint over the high-backed pew
for her. She was very much afraid of the tithingman, who sat on a high
seat. He had a long rod with a hard knob on one end and a squirrel's
tail on the other.

[Illustration: The tithingman tickling the nodding lady]

When he saw a lady nodding during the sermon, he stepped