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94 attract attention on all sides, wherever he went. In time it would not hurt him so much, but now—it was a bitter thought that his infirmity  could not pass unnoticed. He wondered if all the people around him were watching him. Perhaps they were all whispering about him, only more softly. And they would look to see how he acted, whether he was awkward, and if  he seemed sad. If he could only know just how many eyes were turned on him! Miss Bess had no idea how hard it was for him, or  she would never have asked him to come. And Rob and Phil and the other boys, had they looked surprised to see him there?

Poor Fred! Had he but known that, except for Bess and Rob, who was watching in pity his  friend’s white, sad face, not a person in the  church had a thought of him, now the service  had begun! But what was the rector saying?—“The words of the anthem will be found”—And there was to be an anthem, then; Rob did say something about it. “Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth.”—What was  that whisper? Some one calling attention to “poor Fred Allen”? But Miss Bess was