in front of the building. As he worked his way through to the pulpit on

the arm of the minister and followed by the envied officials of the

village, every neck was stretched and, every eye twisted around

intervening obstructions to get a glimpse. Elderly people directed each

other's attention and, said, "There! that's him, with the grand, noble

forehead!" Boys nudged each other and said, "Hi, Johnny, here he is,

there, that's him, with the peeled head!"

The Senator took his seat in the pulpit, with the minister' on one side

of him and the Superintendent of the Sunday School on the other.

The town dignitaries sat in an impressive row within the altar railings

below. The Sunday School children occupied ten of the front benches.

dressed in their best and most uncomfortable clothes, and with hair

combed and faces too clean to feel natural. So awed were they by the

presence of a living United States Senator, that during three minutes not

a "spit ball" was thrown. After that they began to come to themselves by

degrees, and presently the spell was wholly gone and they were reciting

verses and pulling hair.

The usual Sunday School exercises were hurried through, and then the

minister, got up and bored the house with a speech built on the customary

Sunday School plan; then the Superintendent put in his oar; then the town

dignitaries had their say. They all made complimentary reference to

their friend the Senator," and told what a great and illustrious man he

was and what he had done for his country and for religion and temperance,

and exhorted the little boys to be good and diligent and try to become

565

The Gilded Age