would inaugurate reforms and set beneficent agencies at work that would
soon produce marvelous changes for good."

"Ah, yes," sighed Mr. Paulding. "If we had for just a little while the
help of our strong men--the men of brains and will and money, the men
who are used to commanding success, whose business it is to organize
forces and set impediments at defiance, the men whose word is a kind
of law to the people--how quickly, and as if by magic, would all this
change!

"But we cannot now hope to get this great diversion in our favor. Until
we do we must stand in the breach, small in numbers and weak though we
are--must go on doing our best and helping when we may. Help is help and
good is good, be it ever so small. If I am able to rescue but a single
life where many are drowning, I make just so much head against death and
destruction. Shall I stand off and refuse to put forth my hand because I
cannot save a score?

"Take heart, Mr. Dinneford. Our work is not in vain. Its fruits may be
seen all around. Bad as you find everything, it is not so bad as it was.
When our day-school was opened, the stench from the filthy children who
were gathered in was so great that the teachers were nauseated. They
were dirty in person as well as dirty in their clothing. This would
not do. There was no hope of moral purity while such physical impurity
existed. So the mission set up baths, and made every child go in and
thoroughly wash his body. Then they got children's clothing--new and
old--from all possible sources, and put clean garments on their little
scholars. From the moment they were washed and cleanly clad, a new and
better spirit came upon them. They were more orderly and obedient, and
more teachable. There was, or seemed to be, a tenderer quality in their
voices as they sang their hymns of praise."

Just then there came a sudden outcry and a confusion of voices from
the street. Mr. Dinneford arose quickly and went to the window. A man,
apparently drunk and in a rage, was holding a boy tightly gripped by the
collar with one hand and cuffing him about the head and face with the
other.

"It's that miserable Blind Jake!" said Mr. Paulding.

In great excitement, Mr. Dinneford threw up the window and called for
the police. At this the man stopped beating the boy, but swore at
him terribly, his sightless eyes rolling and his face distorted in a
frightful way. A policeman who was not far off came now upon the scene.

"What's all t