sounded soothingly far away. Generally he read a chapter
first, then gave out the hymn, and after the singing he always led in
prayer. It hardly seemed worth while to listen when one's own thoughts
were so pleasant. Berta dropped her lashes to hide the shining light of
gladness. Weren't they dear, dear unselfish girls to rejoice with her and
for her! She loved them and they loved her. The best part of any triumph
was the consciousness that victory would please her friends and her
family. Her mother would be glad, and her father, the small brothers and
sisters, and even the pretty little sister-in-law. Eva would not
understand entirely, for she hated to read and cared about nothing but
the babies since Robert had died. Robert would have sympathized, since he
had loved study almost as much as he had loved Eva. When he decided to
marry, he gave up his science and went into a bank. He chose a wife and
children instead of congenial ambition. If he had lived, he would have
been glad in Berta's success. Maybe when the baby nieces grew old enough
to understand, they would be proud of their famous aunt. It was very,
very sweet to feel that people were proud of her.

Listen! Berta straightened suddenly and then leaned forward. What was
Prexie saying? Why, he hadn't even opened the Bible yet. "--and so, as
the essays submitted in competition were all remarkably good, the judges
would have experienced great difficulty in reaching a decision if it had
not been for one exceptional even among the dozen most excellent papers.
The prize for the best Shakespearean essay has been unanimously awarded
to Miss Roberta Abbott."

A low murmur swept over the bright-hued congregation. Several faces in
the pew before her turned to smile at Berta. She smiled back half
involuntarily and gripped her fingers together, conscious only of a
smothering sensation and a wonder that her chest kept heaving faster and
faster. It frightened her to have things happen like this one after
another. She had won the Shakespearean prize. How much was it? Thirty
dollars? Fifty? It didn't matter. She could take baby Berta to the
seashore with her. She had won. The girls would get tired of
congratulating her.

Hark! Prexie had gone on speaking.

"Accordingly," he was saying as Berta braced herself once more to
attention, "I am sure you will agree with me that the faculty acted
justly and wisely this afternoon in electing Miss Roberta Abbott to hold
the European Fell