Annie Kilburn

o come and go without knocking. But she called "Come in!" without rising from her letter, and Mrs. Bolton entered with a stranger. The little girl clung t

d Mr. Peck, taking t

urved vertical lines enclosed his mouth in their parenthesis; a thin, dust-coloured beard fell from his cheeks and chin; his upper lip was shaven. But instead of the slight frown of challenge and self-a

ve wanted to tell you how pleased I am that you found

oat hung formlessly from his shoulders; she involuntarily took

seemed the fit vocal expression of his presence; "I ha

"You were very welcome. I hope you're

" said the

ouse, that I ventured to send for her to-day. But I believe I gave her rather a bad

rom him, which would relieve her of the lingering shame

to children, and I hadn't taken

Idella," said

h the intention of saying something

minister. "Her own name was Ella, and my mo

that she must not visit the fault upon the little creature. "Don't you think you could give me another trial some time, Idella?" She stooped down and took the child's unoccupied hand, which she

gh, and took Annie's ch

Bolton. "You never can tell w

, and it was flattering to have triumphed where she had seemed to fail so desperately. They had all been standing, and she now said, "Won't you

beyond the stove. "We must be getting home b

in you unduly

in that grim presence; and as it was, she resolved to put forward their serious object. She began abruptly: "Mr. Peck, I've been asked to interest myse

n't," said

ery high, and he now seemed taller a

r. Brandreth as well as she could. The little girl was standing in her lap, and got between her and Mr.

ignificant point of her statement. At the end he asked: "And are the means f

n't yet, or not quit

lves in it? If they are to value its benefits, it ough

now," Ann

ll-to-do people who have no occupation, and think that others want pastimes as much as themselves. But what working people want is rest, and what they need are decent homes where the

f clouded volition in which she was tempted to renounce, and even oppose, the scheme for a Social Union, in spite of her promise to Mr. Brandreth. But she remembered that she was a consistent and faithful person, and she said: "The ladies have a plan for raising the money, and they've applied to me to second it-to use my influence somehow among the villagers to get them interested; and the working people can help too if they choose. But I'm quite a stranger amongst t

r, "to promote the establishment of this

gh of embarrassment, to which he was cold, apparently. "I certainly

rove of it. Properly manage

ight not sympathise with that part of it, a

t pa

e-theat

asked the

ery liberal," Annie faltered on; "but

ever been in the theatre; but I should like to see one of h

idea would strike you. Of course the ladies would be only too glad of your advice and co-operation. Their plan is to sell tickets

understand exactly,

Mr. Brandreth, as before, that the invitations were to be given

prevent my taking part in the affair,"

dancing," A

dancing. But I could not join at all with those who were willing to lay the foundations of a Social U

d sketched it was apparent. She remembered now that she had felt some

this Social Union proceed upon the assumption that working people ca

the consequences of being brought up in a superior station. She believed th

slight exactly. People can ask those

s for their

if they stayed to the supper and the dance? They might be exposed to greater suffering among those whose manner

n beginning in social exclusion could ever do any good. What part do these ladies expect to take in maintaining it?

d by helplessly quoting Mr. Brandreth: "They intend to organise a system of l

No doubt they think they want to do them good; but good is from the heart, and th

used, "that there can be no friendly intercourse with the poo

e of the poor, and the well-to-do offered to be friendly with you o

it a person

nal question," said the

ot only bad taste, but it was foolish, I have often heard my father say that the great superiority of the American practice of democracy over the French ideal was that it didn't involve any assumption of social equality. He said that

is or will be American yet. But we will suppose you are quite right. The question is

sed into saying, "I suppose I shou

that they felt k

make the matter worse," sh

silent on his s

here can be no love at all, no kindness, between the ri

suffer such a slight as your friends pro

person could do a rich person a kindness which cost him some sacrifice, he m

e no love if a ric

round. Only, the rich man would have to make

ple can't do any good at all w

sometimes create a bond of gratitude perhaps, bu

hy can

ternity-can spring only from like experiences, li

obeisance, he said, "Good evening," and went out, while she remained daunted and bewildered,

being gone so long as it would have taken him to walk to her pa

sely from him, and hid her face in Annie's neck, pushin

said. Idella only s

ey were very common and poor, and the thought of get

the child turned from An

our daughter, Mr. Peck," said Annie, rem

wing him that she could meet the poor on common ground by sharing their labou