," answered Mother Mayberry, as she took the apron from Susie and
started across the Road on her rescue mission, "a woman have got to cut
her conscience kinder bias in the dealing with children. If they're
stuffed full of food and kindness they will mostly forget to be bad,
and oughtent to be made to remember they CAN be by being punished too
long. Now, sonny, I'll get you fixed up so stylish with these pins and
this apron that the circus will want to carry you off. Start on,
Deacon, he's a-coming."

"I've got to get the baby's bonnet," said Eliza as the whole party
started away in a trail after the Deacon, who led Martin Luther by one
hand and little Bettie by the other. Over by the store they could see
Mrs. Pratt waiting to marshal the forces on down the Road and Mr.
Hoover stood ready as outstanding escort. He had brought the news of
the passing of the circus train and she had promptly consented to
taking the children and the Deacon over for a view.

"Please, Eliza, please don't take the baby! Leave him with me," said
Miss Wingate and as she spoke she stretched out her arms to Teether.
Teether was looking worn with the excitement of the day and his
sympathetic friend felt the journey would be too much for him. He
smiled and fell over on her shoulder with a sigh of contentment.

"Don't you think he oughter see them nelephants and things?" asked
Eliza doubtfully, her loyalty to Teether warring with the relief of
having him out of her thin little arms for the journey.

"He won't mind. Let me keep him here on the front porch until you come
back. Now run along and have a good time," and Miss Wingate started up
the front walk, as Eliza darted away to join the others.

"I do declare," said Mother Mayberry, as she watched the expedition
wend its way down the white Road in the direction of the Bolivar pike,
"the way the Deacon do love the children is plumb beautiful, and sad
some too. I don't know what he would do without Jem or they without
him. Seeing 'em together reminds me of that scraggy, old snowball bush
in full bloom, leaning down to the little Stars of Bethlehem reaching
up to it. What that good man have been to me only my Heavenly Father
can know and Tom Mayberry suspicion. I tell you what I think I'll do;
I'll take one of them little pans of rolls what Cindy have baked for
supper, with a jar of peach preserves, and go down and set with Mis'
Bostick while the Deacon are gone. We can run the pan of rolls in to