CHAPTER XI SUNDAY

,whogotoschoolandchurch,andfitthemselvestobecomeindustrious,honestmen."BenhadbeenlookingstraightupinMissCelia'sfaceasshespoke,feelingthateverywordwastrue,thoughhecouldnothaveexpresseditifhehadtriedand,whenshepaused,withherbrighteyesinquiringlyfixedonhis,heansweredheartily,— "I'dliketostayhereandberespectablefor,sinceIcame,I'vefoundoutthatfolksdon'tthinkmuchofcircusriders,thoughtheyliketogoandsee'em.Ididn'tusetocareaboutschoolandsuchthings,butIdonowandIguesshe'dlikeitbetterthantohavemeknockin'roundthatwaywithouthimtolookafterme." "Iknowhewouldsowewilltry,Benny.Idaresayitwillseemdullandhardatfirst,afterthegaysortoflifeyouhaveled,andyouwillmisstheexcitement.Butitwasnotgoodforyou,andwewilldoourbesttofindsomethingsafer.Don'tbediscouragedand,whenthingstroubleyou,cometomeasThornydoes,andI'lltrytostraightenthemoutforyou.I'vegottwoboysnow,andIwanttodomydutybyboth." BeforeBenhadtimeformorethanagratefullook,atumbledheadappearedatanupperwindow,andasleepyvoicedrawledout,— "Celia!Ican'tfindabitofashoe-string,andIwishyou'dcomeanddomyneck-tie." "Lazyboy,comedownhere,andbringoneofyourblacktieswithyou.Shoe-stringsareinthelittlebrownbagonmybureau,"calledbackMissCeliaadding,withalaugh,asthetumbledheaddisappearedmumblingsomethingabout"botheringoldbags","Thornyhasbeenhalfspoiledsincehewasill.Youmustn'tmindhisfidgetsanddawdlingways.He'llgetoverthemsoon,andthenIknowyoutwowillbegoodfriends." Benhadhisdoubtsaboutthat,butresolvedtodohisbestforhersakeso,whenMasterThornypresentlyappeared,withacareless"Howareyou,Ben?"thatyoungpersonansweredrespectfully,—"Verywell,thankyou,"thoughhisnodwasascondescendingashisnewmaster'sbecausehefeltthataboywhocouldridebarebackandturnadoublesomersaultintheairoughtnotto"knuckleunder"toafellowwhohadnotthestrengthofapussy-cat. "Sailor'sknot,pleasekeepsbetterso,"saidThorny,holdinguphischintohaveablue-silkscarftiedtosuithim,forhewasalreadybeginningtobesomethingofadandy. "Yououghttowearredtillyougetmorecolor,dear"andhissisterrubbedherbloomingcheekagainsthispaleone,asiftolendhimsomeofherownroses. "Mendon'tcarehowtheylook,"saidThorny,squirmingoutofherhold,forhehatedtobe"cuddled"beforepeople. "Oh,don'tthey?Here'savainboywhobrusheshishairadozentimesaday,andquiddlesoverhiscollartillheissotiredhecanhardlystand,"laughedMissCelia,withalittletweakofhisear. "Ishouldliketoknowwhatthisisfor?"demandedThorny,inadignifiedtone,presentingablacktie. "Formyotherboy.Heisgoingtochurchwithme,"andMissCeliatiedasecondknotforthisyounggentleman,withasmilethatseemedtobrightenupeventherustyhat-band. "Well,Ilikethat—"beganThorny,inatonethatcontradictedhiswords. Alookfromhissisterremindedhimofwhatshehadtoldhimhalfanhourago,andhestoppedshort,understandingnowwhyshewas"extragoodtothelittletramp." "SodoI,foryouareofnouseasadriveryet,andIdon'tliketofastenLitawhenIhavemybestgloveson,"saidMissCelia,inatonethatrathernettledMasterThorny. "IsBengoingtoblackmybootsbeforehegoes?withaglanceatthenewshoeswhichcausedthemtocreakuneasily. "Noheisgoingtoblackmine,ifhewillbesokind.Youwon'tneedbootsforaweekyet,sowewon'twasteanytimeoverthem.Youwillfindeverythingintheshed,BenandattenyoumaygoforLita." Withthat,MissCeliawalkedherbrotherofftothediningroom,andBenretiredtoventhisireinsuchenergeticdemonstrationswiththeblacking-brushthatthelittlebootsshonesplendidly. Hethoughthehadneverseenanythingasprettyashismistresswhen,anhourlater,shecameoutofthehouseinherwhiteshawlandbonnet,holdingabookandalatelily-of-the-valleyinthepearl-coloredgloves,whichhehardlydaredtotouchashehelpedherintothecarriage.Hehadseenagoodmanyfineladiesinhislifeandthosehehadknownhadbeenverygayinthecolorsoftheirhatsandgowns,veryfondofcheapjewelry,andmuchgiventofeathers,lace,andfurbelowssoitratherpuzzledhimtodiscoverwhyMissCelialookedsosweetandelegantinsuchasimplesuit.Hedidnotthenknowthatthecharmwasinthewoman,nottheclothesorthatmerelylivingnearsuchapersonwoulddomoretogivehimgentlemanners,goodprinciples,andpurethoughts,thanalmostanyothertraininghecouldhavehad.Buthewasconsciousthatitwaspleasanttobethere,neatlydressed,ingoodcompany,andgoingtochurchlikearespectableboy.Somehow,thelonelyfeelinggotbetterasherolledalongbetweengreenfields,withtheJunesunshinebrighteningeverything,arestfulquietintheair,andafriendbesidehimwhosatsilentlylookingoutatthelovelyworldwithwhatheafterwardlearnedtocallher"Sundayface,"—asoft,happylook,asifalltheworkandwearinessofthepastweekwereforgotten,andshewasreadytobeginafreshwhenthisblesseddaywasover. "Well,child,whatisit?"sheasked,catchinghiseyeashestoleashyglanceather,oneofmanywhichshehadnotseen. "Iwasonlythinking,youlookedasif—" "Asifwhat?Don'tbeafraid,"shesaid,forBenpausedandfumbledatthereins,feelinghalfashamedtotellhisfancy. "Youweresayingprayers,"headded,wishingshehadnotcaughthim. "SoIwas.Don'tyou,whenyouarehappy? "No,'m.I'mglad,butIdon'tsayanything." "Wordsarenotneededbuttheyhelp,sometimes,iftheyaresincereandsweet.Didyouneverlearnanyprayers,Ben?" "Only'NowIlayme.'GrandmataughtmethatwhenIwasalittlemiteofaboy." "Iwillteachyouanother,thebestthatwasevermade,becauseitsaysallweneedask." "Ourfolkswasn'tverypioustheydidn'thavetime,Is'pose." "Iwonderifyouknowjustwhatitmeanstobepious?" "Goin'tochurch,andreadin'theBible,andsayin'prayersandhymns,ain'tit?" "Thosethingsareapartofitbutbeingkindandcheerful,doingone'sduty,helpingothers,andlovingGod,isthebestwaytoshowthatwearepiousinthetru