“Papa, shall I dress for church when I get up in the morning?” asked Lulu.
“Yes,” he answered. “Wear one of your plainer dresses. I think we should not dishonor God’s house by being shabby or slovenly in our attire, nor should we dress in a way to attract attention and divert the thoughts of others from the service.”
“Yes, sir, I know that’s what you have told me at home, and that you never let me wear my gayest things to church. And I suppose it would make even more difference here, where most of the congregation must be quite poor and ignorant?”
“I think so,” he said; “and also that you will be less likely to be taken up with thoughts of yourself and your own appearance if you are not gayly dressed.”
Captain Raymond’s arrangements for spending the holy hours of the Lord’s Day were duly carried out. The hour for morning service in the church he had provided for Minersville, found him and his son and daughter seated among the worshippers. The Austins were there also; and it was the same again in the evening.
They all visited the Sunday school, too, and took part in its exercises. The two gentlemen had not been acquainted many hours before discovering that they were followers of the same Saviour, and each felt it to be a closer bond of union than would have been that of the same nativity without it.
The Austins joined the Raymonds by invitation, in Monday’s excursion, and indeed in almost every other one taken while they all remained in Minersville, which was for several weeks.
Captain Raymond took his children with him almost everywhere that he went; to Lulu’s extreme satisfaction her days were spent principally in walks and rides, the latter becoming more enjoyable as she made better acquaintance with her pony and grew confident of her ability to guide and control it. Her father, however, always rode by her side, and kept constant watch over her safety.
Their evenings were apt to be spent on the porch, as the weather was such as to make that the most enjoyable spot at that time. Often one or more of the McAlpine family would be there—perhaps at the farther end of the porch, so as not to seem to intrude upon the Raymonds and their guests, for Mr. Austin and Albert were apt to be with them; Mr. Short, too, not unfrequently.
But occasionally the young people were there without their elders, the captain, perhaps, busied with some writing in his own room.