The Pillars of the House, vol 1 | Page 8

young gentlemen had yet worn stocking or sock,
but what came from her needles, and had been re-footed by her to the
last extremity of wear.
Meantime, Felix and Clement walked with their father to the church.
There it was, that handsome church; the evening sun in slanting beams
coming through the gorgeous west window to the illuminated walls,
and the rich inlaid marble and alabaster of the chancel mellowed by the
pure evening light. The east window, done before glass-painting had
improved, was tame and ill-executed, and there was, even aesthetically,
a strange unsatisfactory feeling in looking at the heavy, though
handsome, incrustations and arcades of dark marble that formed the
reredos. It was all very correct; but it wanted life.
Mr. Bevan was not there, he had gone out to dinner, and the
congregation consisted of some young ladies, old men, and three little
children. Mr. Audley read all, save the Absolution and the Lessons; and
the responses sounded low and feeble in the great church, though there
was one voice among them glad and hearty in dedicating and entrusting
the new year of his life with its unknown burthen.
Felix had heard sayings and seen looks which, boldly as his sanguine

spirit resisted them, would hang in a heavy boding cloud over his mind,
and were already casting a grave shadow there.
And if the thought of his fivefold gift swelled the fervour of his 'Amen'
to the General Thanksgiving, there was another deep heartfelt Amen,
which breathed forth earnest gratitude for the possession of such a
first-born son.
'That is a very good boy,' the father could not help saying to Mr.
Audley, as, on quitting the churchyard, Felix exclaiming, 'Papa, may I
just get it changed and ask about the van?' darted across the street, with
Clement, into a large grocer's shop nearly opposite, where a brisk
evening traffic was going on in the long daylight of hot July; and he
could not but tell of the birthday-gift, and how it was to be spent. 'Res
angusta domi,' he said, with a smile, 'is a thing to be thankful for, when
it has such effects upon a lad.'
'You must add a small taste of example to the prescription,' said Mr.
Audley. 'Is this all the birthday present Felix has had?'
'Well, I believe Cherry gave him one of her original designs; but
birthdays are too numerous for us to stand presents.'
The other curate half-sighed. He was a great contrast--a much smaller
man than his senior, slight, slim, and pale, but with no look of ill-
health about him, brown eyed and haired, and with the indefinable look
about all his appointments and dress, that showed he had lived in
unconscious luxury and refinement all his days. His thoughts went back
to a home, where the only perplexity was how to deal with an absolute
glut of presents, and to his own actual doubts what to send that
youngest sister, who would feel slighted if Charlie sent nothing, but
really could not want anything; a book she would not read, a jewel
could seldom get a turn of being worn, a trinket would only be fresh
lumber for her room. Then he revolved the possibilities of making Felix
a present, without silencing his father's confidences, and felt that it
could not be done in any direct manner at present; nay, that it could
hardly add to the radiant happiness of the boy, who rushed across the
road, almost under the nose of the railway-omnibus horses, and
exclaimed--
'He will let us have it for nothing, Father! He says it would be hiring it
out, and he can't do that: but he would esteem it a great favour if we
would go in it, and not pay anything, except just a shilling to Harris for

a pint of beer. Won't it be jolly, Father?'
'Spicy would be more appropriate,' said Mr. Underwood, laughing, as
the vehicle in question drew up at the shop door, with Mr. Harper's
name and all his groceries inscribed in gold letters upon the awning.
'I'm so glad I thought of Harper's,' continued Felix. 'I asked him instead
of Buff, because I knew Mamma would want it to be covered. Now
there's lots of room; and we boys will walk up all the hills.'
'I hope there is room for me, Felix,' suggested Mr. Audley.
'Or,' suggested Mr. Underwood, 'you might, like John Gilpin, "ride on
horseback after we."'
'Felix looks non-content,' said Mr. Audley. 'I am afraid I was not in his
programme. Speak out--let us have it.'
'Why,' said Felix, looking down, 'our little ones all wanted to have you;
but then we thought we should all be obliged to come home too soon,
unless you took the service for Papa.'