`` It WAS a mistake , '' admitted Miss Cornelia . `` But they got the lot cheap . And no other manse children ever thought of playing there . Mr. Meredith should n't allow it . But he has always got his nose buried in a book , when he is home . He reads and reads , or walks about in his study in a day-dream . So far he has n't forgotten to be in church on Sundays , but twice he has forgotten about the prayer-meeting and one of the elders had to go over to the manse and remind him . And he forgot about Fanny Cooper 's wedding . They rang him up on the ` phone and then he rushed right over , just as he was , carpet slippers and all . One would n't mind if the Methodists did n't laugh so about it . But there 's one comfort -- they ca n't criticize his sermons . He wakes up when he 's in the pulpit , believe ME . And the Methodist minister ca n't preach at all -- so they tell me . I have never heard him , thank goodness . '' Miss Cornelia 's scorn of men had abated somewhat since her marriage , but her scorn of Methodists remained untinged of charity . Susan smiled slyly . `` They do say , Mrs. Marshall Elliott , that the Methodists and Presbyterians are talking of uniting , '' she said . `` Well , all I hope is that I 'll be under the sod if that ever comes to pass , '' retorted Miss Cornelia . `` I shall never have truck or trade with Methodists , and Mr. Meredith will find that he 'd better steer clear of them , too . He is entirely too sociable with them , believe ME .
Why , he went to the Jacob Drews ' silver-wedding supper and got into a nice scrape XXXXX a result . ''
about as at if since so that to under with