its prim and proper seats, and modern tiled floor, both of which remind me painfully of a recently erected suburban church raised by contract and at the lowest tender "To the glory of God!"
We found a lady in the church; who she was, or why she was there, I cannot tell. We judged that possibly she was the rector's wife or his daughter; but this was pure conjecture, for we did not even know if the rector were married. Moreover, who she was, or why there, concerned us not. I am glad we met her, for she was most courteous in giving us all the information it was in her power to impart. Truly, we had become quite accustomed to such courtesies from utter strangers, but custom did not diminish their pleasantness. By way of introduction she remarked that "the church sadly needed some repairing." We agreed, whether uttered purposely or by accident, we were delighted to hear the expression "repairing" employed instead of "restoring." "We're afraid," continued she, "that some day the roof may fall down upon us during service." We ventured to hope that it would fall down some other time. We tried to be sympathetic, and endeavoured to look properly concerned when we learnt that there were "bats in the belfry," and that "birds make themselves quite at home in the nave, Sundays as well as week-days." We were shocked to hear such bad behaviour of the Lincolnshire birds; but, as we remarked, "birds will be birds all the world over."
Observing an ancient brass let into the pavement in the centre of the church, with an inscription
