s of years ago. They would try and talk it out,--this hard
question of work, and place, and living; and see, if they could,
what way was provided,--as in the nature of things there must be
some way,--for everybody to be busy, and everybody to be better
satisfied. She thought Bel Bree had got a notion of one way, that
was open, or might be, to a good many, a way that it remained,
perhaps, for themselves to open rightly.

"Now, Bel, just tell us all how you feel about it. There isn't any
of us whom you wouldn't say it to alone; and every one of us is only
listening separately. When you have finished, somebody else may have
a word to answer."

"I don't know as I _could_ finish," said Bel Bree, "except by going
and living it out. And that is just what I think we have got to do.
I've said it before; the girls know I have; but I'm surer than ever
of it now. Why, where does all the work come from, but out of the
homes? I know some kinds may always have to be done in the lump; but
there's ever so much that might be done where it is wanted, and
everybody be better off. We want homes; and we want real people to
work for; those two things. I _know_ we do. A lot of _stuff_, and
miles of stitches, ain't _work_; it don't make real human beings, I
think. It makes business, I suppose, and money; I don't know what it
all comes round to, though, for anybody; more spending, perhaps, and
more having, but not half so much being. At any rate, it don't come
round in that to us; and we've got to look out for ourselves. If we
get right, who knows but other folks may get righter in consequence?
What I think is, that wherever there's a family,--a father and a
mother and little children,--there's work to do, and a home to do it
in; and we girls who haven't homes and little children, and perhaps
sha'n't ever have,--ain't much likely to have as things are
now,--could be happier and safer, and more used to what we ought to
be used to in case we should,"--(Bel's sentences were getting to be
very rambling and involved, but her thoughts urged her on, and
everybody's in the room followed her),--"if we went right in where
the things were wanted, and did them. The sewing,--and the
cooking,--and the sweeping, too; everything; I mean, whatever we
could; any of it. You call it 'living out,' and say you won't do it,
but what you do _now_ is the living out! We could _afford_ to go and
say to people who are worrying about poor help and awful
wages,--'We'll co