“Your first grandchild, is it not, sir?” asked Mr. Lilburn, addressing the captain.
“Yes,” he replied, “and her coming has given me some serious thoughts about my increasing years. I believe I am growing an old man.”
“Not so very,” laughed Cousin Ronald, shaking his head. “I have been a grandsire for years, and when I began the business I was older than you are now.”
“And to me he doesn’t seem so very old even yet,” Annis said with an affectionate smile.
“That sounds pleasant, coming from the lips of my bonny young wife,” Mr. Lilburn said, returning her smile.
There was a momentary silence, then the old gentleman went on in a meditative tone:
“Life in this world has many blessings and many trials, but the Bible tells us, ‘As thy days, so shall thy strength be,’ and in my experience that promise has been fulfilled many, many times. Friends, the day after to-morrow is the Sabbath. Suppose we meet together, as we were wont to do in the past, and have ‘strength’ as the subject for the Bible lesson. I invite you all to come to Beechwood for that purpose.”
“Thank you, sir,” said Captain Raymond, speaking for all, “but allow me to offer Woodburn as the place for meeting, it being more central and—so near this—better suited to the entertainment of my little granddaughter, whose parents would hardly like to go leaving her behind.”
Cousin Ronald laughed at that.