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Barr, Amelia Edith Huddleston, 1831-1919

"The Hallam Succession"

"
"Two roads are a bit different--t' road to Babylon and t' road to
Jerusalem aren't t' same. You may go dancin' along t' first; the last
is often varry narrow and steep."
"But one can't help wondering why."
"If it wasn't narrow, and varry narrow, too, Miss Hallam, fenced in,
and watchmen set all along it, we'd be strayin' far and near, and ivery
one o' us going our own way. There isn't a church I knows of--not even
t' people called Methodists--as mak's it narrow enough to prevent lost
sheep. But it isn't all t' Hill o' Difficulty, Miss Hallam. It isn't
fair to say that. There's many an arbor on t' hill-side, and many a
House Beautiful, and whiles we may bide a bit wi' t' shepherds on t'
Delectable Mountains. And no soul need walk alone on it. That's t'
glory and t' comfort! And many a time we're strengthened, and many
a time we're carried a bit by unseen hands."
"Well, Martha, those are pleasant thoughts to sleep on, and to-morrow--
to-morrow will be another day."
"And a good one, Miss Hallam; anyhow, them as bodes good are t'
likeliest to get it. I do think that."
So Elizabeth went to sleep full of pleasant hopes and aims. It had
always been her intention to pay every penny that Antony Hallam owed;
and she felt a strange sense of delight and freedom in the knowledge
that the duty had begun.


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