d our citizens will say I mean the colonies;
but you and I know who the cap fits, one or t'other, or both, don't we?

"Now here, this old-fashioned church, ain't quite up to the notch, and
is a leetle behind the enlightment of the age like, with its queer old
fixin's and what not; but still it looks solemcoly' don't it, and the
dim light seems as if we warn't expected to be a lookin' about, and as
if outer world was shot out, from sight and thort, and it warn't _man's_
house nother.

"I don't know whether it was that dear old man's preachin', and he is
a brick ain't he? or, whether it's the place, or the place and him
together; but somehow, or somehow else, I feel more serious to-day
than common, that's a fact. The people too are all so plain dressed, so
decent, so devout and no show, it looks like airnest.

"The only fashionable people here was the Squire's sarvants; and they
_did_ look genteel, and no mistake. Elegant men, and most splendid
lookin' women they was too. I thought it was some noble, or aid's,
or big bug's family; but Mrs. Hodgins says they are the people of
the Squire's about here, the butlers and ladies' maids; and superfine
uppercrust lookin' folks they be too.

"Then every body walks here, even Squire Merton and his splendiriferous
galls walked like the poorest of the poor, there was no carriage to the
door, nor no hosses hitched to the gate, or tied to the back of waggons,
or people gossipin' outside; but all come in and minded their business,
as if it was worth attendin' to; and then arter church was finished off,
I liked the way the big folks talked to the little folks, and enquired
arter their families. It may he actin', but if it is, it's plaguy good
actin', I _tell_ you.

"I'm a thinkin' it tante a rael gentleman that's proud, but only a hop.
You've seen a hop grow, hante you? It shoots up in a night, the matter
of several inches right out of the ground, as stiff as a poker, straight
up and down, with a spick and span new green coat and a red nose, as
proud as Lucifer. Well, I call all upstarts 'hops,' and I believe it's
only "hops" arter all that's scorny.

"Yes, I kinder like an English country church, only it's a leetle, jist
a leetle too old fashioned for me. Folks look a leetle too much like
grandfather Slick, and the boys used to laugh at him, and call him a
benighted Britisher. Perhaps that's the cause of my prejudice, and yet I
must say, British or no British, it tante bad, is it?