The next call was at Deacon Holt's.
"One chair here," said Mabel, as they waited upon the step. Making known their errand, they were answered by a hearty laugh from the good-natured deacon.
"Do tell! Are you girls going to set up house-keeping on your own hook?"
"You've guessed pretty close, and we want all our friends to furnish their own chairs, so that they will always be welcome."
Their requests were everywhere the same. "One or two chairs, new or old, easy and not shabby." Later in the day they all met at the new parlour to compare their lists of gifts, and found that enough had been donated to furnish the room handsomely. Mabel had instructed Michael to appear with the express wagon at four o'clock, and he was sent off with the list.
Two days later the room was ready for use. A dozen chairs, a sofa, a small round table which Mr. Riggs had added, some pictures and brackets, made a very pleasant and cosy parlour out of the old lumber room. A few camp chairs were stored in a closet, to be brought as occasion required.
Thus it happened that Westville had a church parlour.
[CHAPTER VIII.]
A PRAYER ANSWERED.
"For pain is not the end of pain."