As soon as supper was done, the household assembled for prayer. It was
a long impromptu evening prayer; and it would have seemed desultory
enough had I not had a glimpse of the kind of day that preceded it, and
so been able to find a clue to the thoughts that preceded the disjointed
utterances; for he kept there kneeling down in the centre of a circle,
his eyes shut, his outstretched hands pressed palm to palm—sometimes with
a long pause of silence, as if waiting to see if there was anything else
he wished to “lay before the Lord” (to use his own expression) before he
concluded with the blessing. He prayed for the cattle and live creatures,
rather to my surprise; for my attention had begun to wander, till it was
recalled by the familiar words.
And here I must not forget to name an odd incident at the conclusion of
the prayer, and before we had risen from our knees (indeed, before Betty
was well awake, for she made a nightly practice of having a sound nap,
her weary head lying on her stalwart arms); the minister, still kneeling
in our midst, with his eyes wide open, and his arms dropped by his side,
spoke to the elder man, who turned round on his knees to attend. “John,
didst see that Daisy had her warm mash to-night? for we must not neglect
the means, John—two quarts of gruel, a spoonful of ginger, and a gill of
beer—the poor beast needs it, and I fear it slipped out of my mind to
tell thee; and here was I asking a blessing and neglecting the means,
which is a mockery,” said he, dropping his voice.
Before he went to bed, he told me he should see little or nothing more of
me during my visit, which was to end on Sunday evening, as he always gave
up both Saturday and Sabbath to his work in the ministry. I remembered
that the landlord at the inn had told me this on the day when I first
inquired about these new relations of mine; and I did not dislike the
opportunity which I saw would be afforded me of becoming more acquainted
with Cousin Holman and Phillis, though I earnestly hoped that the latter
would not attack me on the subject of the dead languages.