The Story of the Gravelys

as making her way

he said to her parlour-m

was an exclamati

e sister Berty stood in the French window,

said Mrs. Stanisfi

coming forward, "and have you anythin

over there behind those azaleas

f a good-sized piece of cake, and then took a[77] low

ta, suddenly, "you hav

oney. Then Grandma lost everything. We had to go and live in that old g

ow-I wish

iences. I thought I wouldn't tell you, Marg

n doing?" asked Ma

thought we were missionaries wh

, I

ow workman, an impudent boy calle

all it-what

I were sitting by the fire-so tired after the moving-when a dozen[78] of those

with a shrug of her shoulders, "but do

r-meeting, and I cuttingly told them that we weren't ready for callers. Dear Grandma tried to smooth it over by saying that while

mean?" aske

nub one's neighbours is a dangerous thing. Every tin can and every decre

an to say the

Next morning there was more rubbish-I went into the street. There was no policeman in sight, so I went to th

s in the city hall in my life

ur grandfather was one of the leading men of this city. His taxe

peron, and you are

utif

pretty," remarked

have from this roof-garden, Margaretta. How it must tranquillize yo

what did you do a

grandfather's sayings, 'Never deal with subordinates if you can

8

be expression, I think

aid, 'Oh, the chief,' and he ope

in behind a table. He didn't get u

he police of thi

m,' h

r protection. My neighbours throw tin cans in

ar to ear, and ask

r Street,

kable-only a black cloth walking-skirt with a round hat, and that pl

llars," said Margare

what do you think he said in an easy tone of voice-'An

8

re in the presence of a lady. My grandfather was the late Judge Travers of this city, my brother-in-law is Mr. Roger Stanisfield, of the

ing at the reminiscence, and her ice-cream was sl

e looked like a bumptious old turkey gobbler,

ttling out of his seat, 'I'm sure,

n comes to you with a complaint, treat her civilly. You're nothing but

that matter without delay,' and I stalked out, and he followed me with his mouth open, and if I did

n?" asked Marga

up the street before I got home. They went into some of the houses, then women came out,

"what wretched things for you to

ls," said Berty, doggedly, "and I'm going to find out w

eet people are

or, aren't they the

rt of people can't have fine ho

n comfort and decency. Would you take your cold dip every morning[83] if you had to cros

tta shu

clean if it were so dark that yo

aretta, decidedly, "but who

said Berty

id Margare

your name. All the rich people in the city like to inv

said Margaretta. "R

. Women should ask their husbands where they invest their money. Good old

Margaretta, "she doesn

tell

found all th

8

ked to th

en of the tin

nd what a lot of things they've told me. Haven't you always tho

aretta, innocent

t miserable of m

y, surely

out half a dozen if it will please

ibe

u ever see a lean po

n't k

eed ever tell me that the police are honest, till I see them all get lean with chasin

department of thought opened up to[85] her. Then she said, "W

sbands work on the wharves. But I mustn't make you too

r you went to River Street," said

er voice, "the woes of the po

It is melting and slipping down your

e out of our house one morning, Margaretta; there were three pitiful little children on the do

ore callers?" asked

nd Brown-Gardners, an

Darley

've read that when you get poor, your friends forsak

tional woman," said

ainted. I had to go to the door with her, as we have no well-trained maid, but only that s

I replied. 'Two died in th

oor-step talking to the children. They looked up at me, the dear little impudent things, and said, 'We ain

e they could catch the sun as he peeped shyly at them over the roofs of the tall houses. I felt as if I should like

again?" murmu

r the children of the city? I asked to see the Mayo

it,' I said, a

ty well annoyed. At the end of that time three fat, prosperous-looking men