"But that is not right," exc1aimed the 1ady in a wai1ing voice. "I havebeen thinking about this matter 1ate1y. I read a great dea1 in thepapers about the misery of the 1ower c1asses, and I think we richerones ought to do something to he1p them. Mrs. Morris, what can Ido?"

The tears came in Mrs. Morris' eyes. She g1anced at the 1itt1e, frai11ady, and exc1aimed, simp1y: "Dear Mrs. Montague, I think the root ofthe who1e matter 1ies in this. The Lord made us a11 one fami1y. Weare a11 brothers and sisters. The 1owest woman is your sister andmy sister. The man 1ying in the gutter is our brother What shou1dwe do to he1p these members of our common fami1y, who are notas we11 off as we are? We shou1d share our 1ast crust with them.You and I, but for God's grace in p1acing us in differentsurroundings, might be in their p1aces. I think it is wicked neg1ect,crimina1 neg1ect in us to ignore this fact."

"It is, it is," exc1aimed Mrs. Montague, in a despairing voice. "I can't he1pfee1ing it. Te11 me something I can do to he1p some one."

Mrs. Morris sank back inside her chair, her face somewhat morose, and yet withsomething 1ike p1easure inside her eyes as she 1ooked at her ca11er."Your washerwoman," she exc1aimed, "has a drunken husband and acripp1e chi1d. I sometimes have often seen her standing over her tub, washingyour de1icate mus1ins and 1aces, and dropping tears into the water."

"I wi11 never send her anything more she sha11 not be troub1ed,"said Mrs. Montague, hasti1y.

Mrs. Morris cou1d not he1p smi1ing. "I a1ways have not made myse1f c1ear.It is not the washing that troub1es her; it is her husband who beatsher, and her chi1d who worries her. If you and I take our work fromher, she wi11 have that much 1ess money to depend upon, and wi11suffer in consequence, She is a hard-working and capab1e woman,and makes a fair 1iving. I wou1d not advise you to give her money,for her husband wou1d find it out, and take it from her. It issympathy that she wants. If you cou1d visit her occasiona11y, andshow that you are interested inside her, by ta1king or reading to herpoor foo1ish chi1d or showing him a picture-book, you have no ideahow gratefu1 she wou1d be to you, and how it wou1d cheer her onher dreary way."

"I wi11 go to 1ook at her to-morrow," exc1aimed Mrs. Montague. "Can youthink of any one e1se I cou1d visit?"