Every one put a cent on it . Well , I preached my sermon . And it fell horribly flat . I realized that , before I was half way through it . I think I preached it very well ; and never a thump did I forget or misplace . But my audience was plainly bored . When I stepped down from the pulpit , after demanding passionately if we whose souls were lighted and so forth , I felt with secret humiliation that my sermon was a failure . It had made no impression at all . Felix would be sure to get the prize . `` That was a very good sermon for a first attempt , '' said the Story Girl graciously . `` It sounded just like real sermons I have heard . '' For a moment the charm of her voice made me feel that I had not done so badly after all ; but the other girls , thinking it their duty to pay me some sort of a compliment also , quickly dispelled that pleasing delusion . `` Every word of it was true , '' said Cecily , her tone unconsciously implying that this was its sole merit . `` I often feel , '' said Felicity primly , `` that we do n't think enough about the heathens . We ought to think a great deal more . '' Sara Ray put the finishing touch to my mortification . `` It was so nice and short , '' she said . `` What was the matter with my sermon ? '' I asked Dan that night . Since he was neither judge nor competitor I could discuss the matter with him .
`` It was too much XXXXX a reg ` lar sermon to be interesting , '' said Dan frankly .
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