A Girl of the People

in particular, and her ideas on all subjects, whether on righteousness or wickedness, the broadest of the broad. She went neither to church nor chapel on Sundays-she pr

ys who were sweethearting, she had a strong sympathy, getting them together in a very quiet and unobtrusive manner, and taking the keenest pleasure in promoting their happiness. She was extremely popular with the Liverpool girls, and this popularity was the great delight of her life. The girl who would not go near the parson or the Sunday-school teacher, or the Sister of Mercy, would pour out her woes or her joys into Hester's sympathetic ears-would receive the advice Hester gave, eagerly, and as a rule, if it were palatable or not, act upon it. No handsome young girl had the least cause to be jealous of Hester; for although she was still comparatively young, and had a power of attraction accorded to few women, it was well known in Hester's very wide circle of indiscriminate acquaintances that she had long ago vowed a vow, far more solemn than Bet's in her ignorance, to take to herself no mate, and to share her life with no one. Hester's mate that should have been had gone away far over the ocean and never come back again. He had been drowned at sea; and although she made no fuss and paraded her sorrow before no one, yet other men saw it would be useless to think of her as a wife. She was not a particularly industrious woman, and

answer, "and I won't sell my voice. So

w piece was to be put on the stage that night, and the entrance to the small pit was already crowded with rough men and frowsy, unt

rl of the name of Susan Jakes. "Set near me, like a

an Jakes was a pale-faced girl, with light flaxen hair and pale blue eyes; she was rather pretty and very neglected-looking. When sh

de until Jack Masters

r afterwards, and just before the curtain was raised. He scarcely thanked Hetty-it was the usual thing for her to keep seats for the girl's sweeth

ht-he's at the public, an

" asked Hester. "Yes, I'm glad you're

e Sarah's here. I put the others to bed, and neighbor Bryce will feed Tommy if he cries; but I brought little Sal along o' me

face was radiant with anticipation, but she could see nothing over

ook your fill. See, the curtain is

th the most extravagant representations if they had only been carried on with the smallest show of life or spirit. The actors, however, who none of them knew their parts, struggled on miserably for a scene or two, and then broke down utterly. It does not cost much to go to a pe

avering to its miserable and final crash, Hester

ey don't sing. I'm hungry to hear 'em sing-

en telling of nothing else all day. She'd give all the world to hear j

face, came hastily and eagerly to the front. Little Sal put her head down on Hes

not the least self-conscious, but she was full of pity for the people. If every child in the room-and

h the crowd, saying to ea

l sing to you; yo

most there knew her, and were her friends-long before she reached the wings, and joined the asto

ickly. "The children are bitterly disappointed, and a so

dark-eyed, intense woman who addressed him. The crowd, however, cheered a

t. "Just like Hetty," resounded all over the small house. Be the wom

ntense relief. "I'll pay you anything in reason-only sin

id Hester, flashing an angry glance at him; and the

a treasure as Hester Wright for his house? "Home, sweet Home," came next; and then why she could not tell, perhaps because of a pain which was tugging at her heart, perhaps because of the weary look on some of the faces, and because a whole tide of memories was thronging before her, she chose

, we'll

and o' t

y, and she turned and whispered somethin

ten feelings had been briefly aroused, and very few who had

ester Wright one, though she never preached no sarmon. The 'Land o' the Leal'-why, it's there as our Johnny