`` It 's so much nicer to believe that God cured Pat than that Peg Bowen did . '' `` But you ought n't to believe a thing just 'cause it would be more comfortable , '' objected Peter . `` Mind you , I ai n't saying God could n't cure Pat . But nothing and nobody ca n't ever make me believe that Peg Bowen was n't at the bottom of it all . '' Thus faith , superstition , and incredulity strove together amongst us , as in all history . CHAPTER XXV . A CUP OF FAILURE One warm Sunday evening in the moon of golden-rod , we all , grown-ups and children , were sitting in the orchard by the Pulpit Stone singing sweet old gospel hymns . We could all sing more or less , except poor Sara Ray , who had once despairingly confided to me that she did n't know what she 'd ever do when she went to heaven , because she could n't sing a note . That whole scene comes out clearly for me in memory -- the arc of primrose sky over the trees behind the old house , the fruit-laden boughs of the orchard , the bank of golden-rod , like a wave of sunshine , behind the Pulpit Stone , the nameless colour seen on a fir wood in a ruddy sunset . I can see Uncle Alec 's tired , brilliant , blue eyes , Aunt Janet 's wholesome , matronly face , Uncle Roger 's sweeping blond beard and red cheeks , and Aunt Olivia 's full-blown beauty . Two voices ring out for me above all others in the music that echoes through the halls of recollection . Cecily 's sweet and silvery , and Uncle Alec 's fine tenor . `` If you 're a King , you sing , '' was a Carlisle proverb in those days . Aunt Julia had been the flower of the flock in that respect and had become a noted concert singer . The world had never heard of the rest . Their music echoed only along the hidden ways of life , and served but to lighten the cares of the trivial round and common task . That evening , after they tired of singing , our grown-ups began talking of their youthful days and doings . This was always a keen delight to us small fry . We listened avidly to the tales of our uncles and aunts in the days when they , too -- hard fact to realize -- had been children . Good and proper as they were now , once , so it seemed , they had gotten into mischief and even had their quarrels and disagreements .
On this particular evening Uncle Roger told many stories of Uncle Edward , and one in which the said Edward had preached sermons XXXXX the mature age of ten from the Pulpit Stone fired , as the sequel will show , the Story Girl 's imagination .
OF above after along at because by except into that