But the storekeeper had proposed , and things were changed now ; and there sat poor Old Lady Lloyd , feeling the change bitterly , and half wishing she had not come to church at all . Then all at once the Angel of Love touched there foolish thoughts , born of vanity and morbid pride , and they melted away as if they had never been . Sylvia Gray had come into the choir , and was sitting just where the afternoon sunshine fell over her beautiful hair like a halo . The Old Lady looked at her in a rapture of satisfied longing and thenceforth the service was blessed to her , as anything is blessed which comes through the medium of unselfish love , whether human or divine . Nay , are they not one and the same , differing in degree only , not in kind ? The Old Lady had never had such a good , satisfying look at Sylvia before . All her former glimpses had been stolen and fleeting . Now she sat and gazed upon her to her hungry heart 's content , lingering delightedly over every little charm and loveliness -- the way Sylvia 's shining hair rippled back from her forehead , the sweet little trick she had of dropping quickly her long-lashed eyelids when she encountered too bold or curious a glance , and the slender , beautifully modelled hands -- so like Leslie Gray 's hands -- that held her hymn book . She was dressed very plainly in a black skirt and a white shirtwaist ; but none of the other girls in the choir , with all their fine feathers , could hold a candle to her -- as the egg pedlar said to his wife , going home from church . The Old Lady listened to the opening hymns with keen pleasure . Sylvia 's voice thrilled through and dominated them all . But when the ushers got up to take the collection , an undercurrent of subdued excitement flowed over the congregation . Sylvia rose and came forward to Janet Moore 's side at the organ . The next moment her beautiful voice soared through the building like the very soul of melody -- true , clear , powerful , sweet . Nobody in Spencervale had ever listened to such a voice , except Old Lady Lloyd herself , who , in her youth , had heard enough good singing to enable her to be a tolerable judge of it . She realized instantly that this girl of her heart had a great gift -- a gift that would some day bring her fame and fortune , if it could be duly trained and developed . `` Oh , I 'm so glad I came to church , '' thought Old Lady Lloyd . When the solo was ended , the Old Lady 's conscience compelled her to drag her eyes and thoughts from Sylvia , and fasten them on the minister , who had been flattering himself all through the opening portion of the service that Old Lady Lloyd had come to church on his account . He was newly settled , having been in charge of the Spencervale congregation only a few months ; he was a clever little fellow and he honestly thought it was the fame of his preaching that had brought Old Lady Lloyd out to church . When the service was over all the Old Lady 's neighbours came to speak to her , with kindly smile and handshake .
They thought they ought to encourage her , now XXXXX she had made a start in the right direction ; the Old Lady liked their cordiality , and liked it none the less because she detected in it the same unconscious respect and deference she had been wont to receive in the old days -- a respect and deference which her personality compelled from all who approached her .
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