So, wehadourslicesservedout, asifweweretwothousandtroopsonaforcedmarchinsteadofamanandboyathome; andwetookgulpsofmilkandwater, withapologeticcountenances, , , andtackedanewflowered-flounceacrossthewidechimneytoreplacetheoldone, anduncoveredthelittlestateparlouracrossthepassage, whichwasneveruncoveredatanyothertime, butpassedtherestoftheyearinacoolhazeofsilverpaper, whichevenextendedtothefourlittlewhitecrockerypoodlesonthematelshelf, eachwithablacknoseandabasketofflowersinhismouth, , , andsomepeopledothesamebytheirreligion.
Mysisterhavingsomuchtodo, wasgoingtochurchvicariously; thatistosay, , Joewasawell-knitcharacteristic-lookingblacksmith; inhisholidayclothes, hewasmorelikeascarecrowingoodcircumstances, , fittedhimorseemedtobelongtohim; andeverythingthatheworethen, , whentheblithebellsweregoing, thepictureofmisery, , IthinkmysistermusthavehadsomegeneralideathatIwasayoungoffenderwhomanAccoucheurPolicemanhadtakenup (onmybirthday) anddeliveredovertoher, , inoppositiontothedictatesofreason, religion, andmorality, , thetailorhadorderstomakethemlikeakindofReformatory, andonnoaccounttoletmehavethefreeuseofmylimbs.
JoeandIgoingtochurch, therefore, , whatIsufferedoutside, , oroutoftheroom, , IponderedwhethertheChurchwouldbepowerfulenoughtoshieldmefromthevengeanceoftheterribleyoungman, , “Yearenowtodeclareit!” , butforitsbeingChristmasDayandnoSunday.
