"'Tis  a  happy  day  for  your  mother,"  the  old  men  de
clared  artlessly.  The  woman  felt  a  long-dead  flush  upon
iier  cheek.  Then  Freelaud  Tanner  pushed  forward
among  the  throng.
"Give  me  your  hand,  Mr.  Donald,"  he  pleaded  in  his
old  sentimental  voice.  He  gazed  rapturously  into  the
young  man's  face  as  he  spoke.
"'Tis  a  wonderful  day  for  .your  townsfolk,  and  I  'low
you'll  give  them  some  powerful  oratory,"  he  added
frankly.
Donald  smiled  indulgently,  and  shook  the  hand  of  his
childhood's  friend.
248  THE  BROAD  AISLE.
"Expect  nothing  but  the  simple  gospel,"  he  said
kindly.
Freeland  moved  joyfully  away,  and  the  clergyman  and
his  mother  entered  the  old  church.  The  Tatem  family
were  already  crowded  in  their  pew,  and  Donald  led  his
mother  to  a  vacant  slip  beyond.  Here,  with  a  courteous
smile,  he  left  her  and  ascended  the  steps  of  the  high
white  pulpit.  Samuel  Powers  was  there  to  greet  him.
None  rejoiced  more  than  the  old  clergyman  in  the  young
man's  promise.
"This  is  a  happy  day  for  us  all,  Don,"  he  whispered
eagerly.
In  the  meantime  Marcy  sat  like  one  in  a  dream.  "When
her  boy  had  taken  a  chair  and  was  lost  from  view  behind
the  ancient  barricade,  she  lived  again  her  eariy  life.  It
passed  before  her  vividly,  but  the  awful  days  of  sorrow
were  now  mingled  with  her  greater  joy.  The  old  meet
ing  house  was  almost  as  she  remembered  it  twenty-five
years  back.  Little  had  been  changed.  She  could  almost
fancy  she  was  about  to  walk  the  broad  aisle  with  her
helpless  babe.  She  trembled  with  the  thought  until  she
caught  sight  of  Donald's  noble  head;  then  the  old  tor
ture  was  forgotten.
