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After a delay which, considering all things, was not more than reasonable, this was done, and the different accounts being put into regular form by the proper persons, they were laid before the minister for his inspection and approval. This was done by Deacons Fish and Slowcome alone.
It was suggested that Mrs Nasmyth should be called in, and the deacon cleared his voice to read it to her. "If there's anything you don't seem to understand or remember," prefaced the accommodating Deacon Slowcome, "don't feel troubled about saying so. I expect we'll make things pretty straight after a while."
Sampson Snow never did anything like anybody else, it was said. He "stood it" through "a season of interest," when Deacons Fish and Slowcome had thought it best to call in the aid of the neighbouring ministers, to hold "a series of meetings." Good, prudent men these ministers were, and not much harm was done, and some good.
It required an effort, however, and a rather awkward silence followed. Deacon Slowcome spoke first: "Well, I suppose, we may consider that it stands all right. And I, for one, feel encouraged to expect great things." "I doubt, sirs," said Janet in a voice ominously mild and civil, "there are some things that haena been put down on yon paper.
Deacon Slowcome said the minister wasna needing to take anything he didna want, and the like o' that we could make no use of." "The deacon might have said that in a general kind of way, but I rather guess he didn't mean you to take him up so. I've been calculating to pay my minister's tax with that sugar, and I don't know as I've got anything else handy.
It ain't no matter about it anyhow," said he, in liberal mood. He had an attentive listener. Mrs Nasmyth listened with vain efforts not to let her face betray her utter bewilderment at the whole proceeding, only assenting briefly when Mr Slowcome interrupted the reading, now and then, to say interrogatively, "You remember?"
Her father would fain have kept her at home then, but he made no objections to her return to school as she wished, and he was left to the silent ministrations of Hannah Lovejoy in the deserted home again. By the unanimous voice of his brethren in the church, he was, on the departure of Deacons Fish and Slowcome, elected to fill the place of one of them, and in his own way he magnified the office.
Some were gathered into the Church from the world; some falling back were restored; some weak ones were strengthened; some sorrowing ones comforted. And through all, the interested attention of Mr Snow never flagged. He attended all the meetings, listened patiently to the warnings of Deacon Fish, and the entreaties of Deacon Slowcome.
The minister in danger of getting bewildered among the items, turned to the sum total. "Two hundred and seventy-two dollars, sixty-two and a-half cents." He was a little mystified still, and looked so. "If there is anything wrong, anything that you object to, it must be put right," said Deacon Slowcome.
Deacon Slowcome was not, in reality, more surprised at this outbreak than he had been when his "fore-quarter of bloody beef" had been accepted unchallenged, but he professed to be so; and in his elaborate astonishment allowed Janet's remarks about a slight mistake she had made, and about the impropriety of "looking a gift horse in the mouth" to pass unanswered.
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