ling them,
perhaps, of the small girls who worked with me in the factory, and of
the guys who waited for them on Saturday nights and took them to the
show. And one of the girl's guys always used to give her a whole box of
the swellest candy you ever tasted.

"Dreaming thus one day of all the happy times I had known, I loitered
over my work, as I fear I often did, and was sharply reprimanded by my
mistress, the honourable lady, who wanted to speak to me as soon as
possible on a matter of grave importance. I finished making the bed in a
hurry and went into the presence of Mrs. Belshow, who said to me:

"'My dear child, how old are you?'

"'Past fifteen, ma'am.'

"'Fifteen! H'm, you're quite a big girl for your age. I'm astonished
that you have no more self-respect, or your mother for you! How is it
that she allows you to go about with such short dresses? Why, it is
shameful; I am surprised, for your mother seemed to me a sensible sort
of a woman. I declare, I never would allow my daughter to expose herself
in such a shameless manner, and I certainly will not allow anyone in my
employ to do so. Only the other day my attention was called by some of
my friends to your most careless condition. They said they could not
help noticing it, it was so dreadful. It is this kind of thing which
causes a great part of the vice and immorality with which we are
surrounded. Unless a mother has common decency enough to clothe her
child properly, it seems hopeless for us to accomplish anything. Now, my
dear child, I want you to go home this very night and tell your mother
you must positively have some long dresses, or no self-respecting person
would care to associate with you. And you must try to have at least one
respectable garment by Sunday, for I am ashamed to have you seen going
out of my house in your present condition. Run along now and don't be
home later than ten this evening.'

"During this long harangue I stood gazing on the floor, blushing
painfully. I wanted to tell my mistress why I had no longer dresses,
but could only stammer 'yes, ma'am' and 'no, ma'am,' and was very glad
to escape from the room as soon as my lady had finished.

"When my mother heard about the affair, she was very indignant, and
demanded why Mrs. Belshow did not buy the dresses for me. 'For my part,'
she said, 'I have no money to waste on such trash. I'm sure, what you
are wearing now is all right. It's not so short, either, nearly down to
your shoe