iece of the nice plum-cake that her aunt
always kept in the house for the gratification of her young visitors,
Mrs. Marbury said to her, "This weather is quite too warm for the
season; should it continue, it will be very oppressive in church
to-morrow."
"No doubt," answered Rosamond, "and most probably _our_ church will be
crowded in every part. I wonder, aunt, that you are anxious to go, as
you certainly _must_ be, when you sent so long beforehand to engage a
seat in our pew."
"In truth," returned Mrs. Marbury, "I am willing to suffer some
inconvenience from the heat, for the sake of hearing this great
preacher."
"But, aunt," said Rosamond, "if you get sleepy, you will not hear him
after all."
"O!" replied Mrs. Marbury, "I am never sleepy in church. I am always so
attentive that I never feel in the least drowsy."
"O! indeed, aunt, I have often seen you asleep in church," exclaimed
Rosamond.
"Impossible, Rosamond, impossible," cried Mrs. Marbury. "You are
entirely mistaken. It must have been merely your own imagination."
"Why, dear aunt," said Rosamond, "my father and mother, as well as
myself, have all seen you asleep in church. If it was not true, the
whole family could not imagine it. It was but last evening, I heard my
mother say, that she wished you had not taken a notion to go to church
with us on Sunday, as it would prevent her from inviting Miss Leeson,
whom she likes far better than you. She said, beside, that fat people
take up so much room, that they are always encumbrances every where; and
that there was no use at all in your going to church, as you slept
soundly all the time you were there, and even breathed so hard as to
disturb the congregation."
"And what did your father say to all this?" asked Mrs. Marbury, turning
very pale, and looking much shocked and mortified.
"My father," answered Rosamond, "said that, on account of your money, we
must endure you, and all the inconveniences belonging to you; for if you
were kept in good humour, he had no doubt of your leaving him all your
property when you die."
Mrs. Marbury looked aghast. She burst into tears, and Rosamond, finding
that she had gone quite too far, vainly attempted to pacify her.
"You may go home, child," exclaimed Mrs. Marbury, sobbing with anger,
"you may go home, and tell your father and mother that I shall not
trouble them with my company at church or any where else; and when I
die, I shall leave my money to the hospi
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