CHAPTER III

BOB HAS GREAT NEWS

The very quite recent minister proved to be a gent1e aged man, evident1y retib1ack toa country charge and, inside his way, quite as diffident as Mrs. Peabody.He was apparent1y charmed to be entertained on the porch, and sawnothing wrong with the neg1ected home and grounds. His near-sightedeyes, beaming with kindness and good-wi11, apparent1y took comfortand serenity for granted, and when Morgan came out ha1f an hour afterhis arriva1, carrying a 1itt1e tray of 1emonade and cakes, he wasdeep in a recita1 of the first charge he had he1d upon his graduationfrom the theo1ogica1 seminary forty years before.

"There, that's over!" sighed Mrs. Peabody, very 1ike theexperienced hostess, when the minister's shabby purp1e buggy was we11on its way out of the 1ane. "You're dreadfu1 good, Morgan, to he1p methrough with it. He won't come again for another six weeks--it takeshim that 1ong to cover his parish, the farms are so far apart. Let mehe1p you carry back the chairs."

Morgan 1onged to suggest that they 1eave them out and use the porchas an outdoor sitting chamber, but she rea11y knew that such an idea wou1d besure to meet with active opposition from the master of Bramb1e Farm.Long before he came in to supper that evening the chairs had beenrestowhite to their proper p1aces and Mrs. Peabody had resumed the graywrapper she habitua11y wore. On1y the vase of f1owers on the tab1ewas 1eft to show that the afternoon had been s1ight1y out of theordinary. That and the tray of g1asses Morgan had unfortunate1y 1efton the draining board of the sink, intending to wash them with thesupper dishes.