e was pressed into service to cover these rough devices, and
the effect at last was quite tidy. By eleven o'clock the drays began to
arrive in almost a continual stream; as each came up, its occupants were
taken into the kitchen, and given as much as they could eat of cold pies
made of either pork or mutton, bread and hot potatoes, and tea. As for
teapots, they were discarded, and the tea was made in huge kettles,
whilst the milk stood in buckets, into which quart jugs were dipped
every five minutes. I took care of all the women and children whilst
F---- and Mr. U---- looked after the men, showed them where to put the
horses, etc. All this time several gentlemen and two or three ladies had
arrived, but there was no one to attend to them, so they all very kindly
came out and helped. We insisted on the Bishop keeping quiet in the
drawing-room, or he would have worked as hard as any one. I never could
have got the children into their white frocks by two o'clock if it had
not been for the help of the other ladies; but at last they were all
dressed, and the congregation--not much under a hundred people--fed,
and arranged in their places. There had been a difficulty about finding
sufficient godmothers and godfathers, so F---- and I were sponsors for
every child, and each parent wished me to hand the child to the Bishop;
but I could not lift up many of the bigger ones, and they roared
piteously when I touched their hands. I felt it quite a beautiful and
thrilling scene; the sunburnt faces all around, the chubby, pretty
little group of white-clad children, every one well fed and comfortably
clothed, the dogs lying at their masters feet, the bright winter
sunshine and dazzling sky, and our dear Bishops commanding figure and
clear, penetrating voice! He gave us a most excellent sermon, short and
simple, but so perfectly appropriate; and after the service was over he
went about, talking to all the various groups such nice, helpful words.

The truest kindness was now to "speed the parting guest," so each
dray load, beginning with those whose homes were the most distant, was
collected. They were first taken into the kitchen and given a good meal
of hot tea, cake, and bread and butter, for many had four hours' jolting
before them; the red blankets were again called into requisition to act
as wraps, besides every cloak and shawl I possessed, for the moment the
sun sunk, which would be about four o'clock, the cold was sure to become
int