"I've not been to church yet"-went on Maryllia medi-tatively. "I
dare say he thinks me quite a dreadful person. But I hate going to
church,-it's so stupid-so boresome-and oh!-such a waste of time!"
Mrs. Spruce still held her peace. Maryllia gave her a little side-
glance and noted a certain wistfulness and wonder in the rosy,
wrinkled face which was not without its own pathos.
"I suppose everybody about here goes to church at least Once on
Sundays," pursued Maryllia-"Don't they?"
"Them as likes Mr. Walden goes," answered Mrs. Spruce promptly-"Then
as don't stops away. Sir Morton Pippitt used allus to attend 'ere
reg'ler when the buildin' was nowt but ruin, an' 'e 'ad a tin roof
put over it,-'e was that proud o' the tin roof you'd a' thought
'twas made o' pure gold, an' he was just wild when Mr. Walden pulled
it all off an' built up the walls an' roof again as they should be
all at 'is own expense, an' he went away from the place for sheer
spite like, an' stayed abroad a whole year, an' when 'e come back
again 'e never wouldn't go nigh it, an' now 'e attends service at
Badsworth Church,-Badsworth Barn we calls it,-for'tain't nowt but a
barn which Mr. Leveson keeps 'Igh as 'Igh with a bit o' tinsel an'
six candles, though it's the mis'ablest place ye ever set eyes on,
an' 'e do look a caution 'isself with what 'e calls a vestiment
'angin' down over 'is back, which is a baek as fat as porpuses, the
Lord forgive me for sayin.' it, but Sir Morton 'e be that set
against Mr. Walden he'll rather say 'is prayers in a pig-stye with a
pig for the minister than in our church, since it's been all
restored an' conskrated--then, as I told you just now, Miss, the
Ittlethwaites goes to Riversford where they gits opratick music with
the 'Lord be merciful to us mis'able sinners'--an' percessions with
candles,--so our church is mostly filled wi' the village folks,
farmer bodies an' sich-like,--there ain't no grand people what
comes, though we don't miss 'em, for Passon 'e don't let us want for
nothin' an' when there's a man out o' work, or a woman sick, or a
child what's pulin' a bit, an' ricketty, he's alhis ready to 'elp,
with all 'e 'as an' welcome, payin' doctor's fees often,--an' takin'
all the medicine bills on 'isself besides. Ah, 'e's a rare good sort
is Passon Walden, an' so you'd say yerself, Miss, if ever you took
on your mind to go and hear 'im preach, an' studied 'is ways for a
bit as 'twere an' asked 'bout 'im in the village, for 'e's fair an'
open as the day an' ain't got no sly, sneaky tricks in 'im,--he's
just a man, an' a good one--an' that's as rare a thing to find in
this world as a di'mond in a wash-tub, an' makin' so bold, Miss, if
you'd onny go to church next Sunday---"
Maryllia interrupted her by a little gesture.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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