Year: 1870

pay Ment. IL was not almS-SlVlnS; IL was
purchase, though the boxes little later.
found their way into his CRATE. 5s@2


He gave his address to the mother, and
obtained from her promise that if there
was any change in the condition of her
neighbor, or if she could be induced to see
Mr.. Blake, he should be sent for at once.


Days passed and no summons came to
him. His active mind was ever full Of
projects for the alleviation Of his suffering
tellow-beings, and that kept his hands
ever full Of employment; yet he did not
quite forget the little matchbox maker
and her mother. Why should the latter
be so unwilling to permit strangers
presence /? STEPPED in poverty, why did
she thrust aside the hand outstretched to
aid her? Several times Mr.. Blake had
passed the corner where he had first seen
little Mona selling her matches, but the
child was not again visible. Before the
week was over he found leisure hour to-
call upon the widow, in the lower story,
and inquire after Mona's mother.


1--WE been sorely tempted to send for
you, sir. but as for getting her consent,
she won't hear it mentioned, and she's
picked up wonderful-a kind of strength
is coming to her, all of sudden; she's





night, to get few hapence more, and
once she's been out, sir; without saying .
word to no one; and this morning she's
given me the four shillings she owed for
the rent to pay all up. can't think why
she's leaving, or where she's going. Bless
my heart there she is a-coming down
stairs, with the little one, and they've got
their bit of bundle with them.n


The widow went to the door. Mr.
Blake stood where he was unseen by Mo- r
ma and her mother, as they paused in the
entry.


You've been very good to me, Mrs
Meggs, thank you truly. We may not
find such another FRIEND" said she.


but must you go? And where viii
you be ?"


"What matter, since must gop"


"But you'll want work; there'll be more
bags than can finish coming in. could
carry them to you to make. And Mo viii
want orders for her match-boxes--match-
es is brisk in winter-my young ones have
put their heads together and talk of rails
ing prices. But mayhap you have some
thing better offers"


'No-nothing-nOthing at all and yet
| must go-l must not stay here!"


There was something at once despair
ing and rebellious in the woman's tone it
seemed the tone of one hunted out of her
only place of security


Mr.. Blake now advanced.


Mona Bronson!"


A shrill cry from the woman followed
the utterance of the words and once
more she buried her face in her hands
but too late, she had been recognized


Poor girl did not know you before
you are so changed. Is it from me that
you are running away9"


Only a woman's answer--sobs


"Come back to your room-I must talk
to you, and this is no place." mT


There was a little, gentle authority in
his tome but the woman neither stirred
nor replied.


"You would not have me speak here"


She shuddered, and he took her hand
from her face and drew her kindly towards
the stairs. She assembled slowly, sobbiEg
as she went, and the child clinging to her
dress, until they entered the bare room.
from which all signs of its late scanty fur
niture had been removed.


my poor Mona, why do you fear me?
l do not ask your history. That half
starved child, and this thin, ringless hand
tell it more eloquently than you could.
And it is the history of SO many-the same
story, with few agonizing variations"


ado not let my father know-for Heav
ems sake, do not! He would find me out
and curse me--he was always hard"


''Ie is softer now, trust, more pity
ing; at all events he viii never curse you.
Mona"


"You do not mean-"" Her pale.
quivering lips would not frame the ques-
ton.


II mean that Reuben Blake will not see
his departed friends child i'll and starving,
and that friends grandchild. baby OF
four years. wearing out baby body and
baby soul making two hundred match
boxes in day to earn less than twopence."


1--WE have the alternative of the work
house. Anything was better than that"


There shall be other alternatives.
Thank God! there is at last. springing up
in mems hearts sense of the great in
justice-the foul wrong somewhere, the
screw loose in the social system which per-
mits such great wealth and great poverty
to faunt and tester side by side! It's the
one question that fills my brain night and
day. If every brain into which it must
force itself did what it could to remedy the
tNii-tHat cNH WOulu SOOH DC uOuc away
with over the whole face of the globe"


Mona Bronson shook her head hopelessly.


England is not the only land on the
earth, he continued - England is over
thronged and men are unwittingly trampl-
ing out each others hearts, and treading
out each others lives in the struggling
crowd. There are bright homes to be
found in other lands-there are new hopes
and new careers before even"


"Not-not before those who have fallen
as low as There can be nothing left in
this world. all is lost to the lost"


"There are no lost whom infinite mercy
can not find You are one of how many
in this great city, whose histories are but
a repetition of yoursp Do you know that
at this moment, you have here surround
ing you one million sisters in misery
wrought by men? Are they all lost, think
you9 How many of these poor victims
would a spot of earth, where they could
breathe and work-a strong hand which
they clasp in friendship fail to save? Come
brave little match box maker" and he took
Al IL. =. 4