this post was,
in some sort the corresponding one to stroke of the boat at
Oxford, her anxiety was reasonable enough. So Harry promised to
go to ringing in good time that morning, and then set about
little odds and ends of jobs till it would be time to start. Dame
Winburn went to her cooking and other household duties, which
were pretty well got under when her son took his hat and started
for the belfry. She stood at the door with a half-peeled potato
in one hand, shading her eyes with the other, as she watched him
striding along the raised footpath under the elms, when the sound
of light footsteps and pleasant voices, coming up from the other
direction, made her turn round and drop a curtsey as the rector's
daughter and another young lady stopped at her door.

"Good morning, Betty," said the former; "here's a bright Sunday
morning at last, isn't it?"

"'Tis indeed, miss; but where hev'ee been to?"

"Oh, we've only been for a little walk before school-time. This
is my cousin, Betty. She hasn't been at Englebourn since she was
quite a child; so I've been taking her to the Hawk's Lynch to see
our view."

"And you can't think how I have enjoyed it," said her cousin; "it
is so still and beautiful."

"I've heer'd say as there ain't no such a place for thretty mile
round," said Betty, proudly, "But do'ee come in, tho', and sit'ee
down a bit," she added, bustling inside her door, and beginning
to rub down a chair with her apron; "'tis a smart step for
gentlefolk to walk afore church." Betty's notions of the walking
powers of gentlefolk were very limited.

"No, thank you, we must be getting on," said Miss Winter; "but
how lovely your flowers are! Look, Mary, did you ever see such
double pansies? We've nothing like them at the Rectory."

"Do'ee take some," said Betty, emerging again, and beginning to
pluck a handful of her finest flowers; "'tis all our Harry's
doing; he's 'mazing partickler about seeds."

"He seems to make everything thrive, Betty. There, that's plenty,
thank you. We won't take many, for fear they should fade before
church is over."

"Oh, dwont'ee be afeard, there's plenty more; and you be as
welcom' as the day."

Betty never said a truer word; she was one of the real
open-handed sort, who are found mostly amongst those who have the
least to give. They or anyone else were welcome to the best she
had.

So the young ladies took the flowers, thanked her again, and
passed on towards the Sunday-sch