tuffing glass bottles with it? Let
people be honest--alms, or pleasure, or vanity! let them say which they
mean; but don't make charity the excuse for the others; and, above all,
don't make my poor Cocksmoor the victim of it."

"This is very severe," said Margaret, pausing, almost confounded. "Do
you think no charity worth having but what is given on unmixed motives?
Who, then, could give?"

"Margaret--we see much evil arise in the best-planned institutions; nay,
in what are not human. Don't you think we ought to do our utmost to have
no flaw in the foundation? Schools are not such perfect places that we
can build them without fear, and, if the means are to be raised by a
bargain for amusement--if they are to come from frivolity instead of
self-denial, I am afraid of them. I do not mean that Cocksmoor has not
been the joy of my life, and of Mary's, but that was not because we did
it for pleasure."

"No!" said Margaret, sighing, "you found pleasure by the way. But why
did you not say all this to Flora?"

"It is of no use to talk to Flora," said Ethel; "she would say it was
high-flown and visionary. Oh! she wants it for the bazaar's own sake,
and that is one reason why I hate it."

"Now, Ethel!"

"I do believe it was very unfortunate for Flora that the Hoxtons took to
patronising her, because Norman would not be patronised. Ever since
it began, her mind has been full of visitings, and parties, and county
families, and she has left off the home usefulness she used to care
about."

"But you are old enough for that," said Margaret. "It would be hard to
keep Flora at home, now that you can take her place, and do not care for
going out. One of us must be the representative Miss May, you know, and
keep up the civilities; and you may think yourself lucky it is not you."

"If it was only that, I should not care, but I may as well tell you,
Margaret, for it is a weight to me. It is not the mere pleasure in
gaieties--Flora cares for them, in themselves, as little as I do--nor
is it neighbourliness, as a duty to others, for, you may observe, she
always gets off any engagement to the Wards, or any of the town folk, to
whom it would be a gratification to have her--she either eludes them, or
sends me. The thing is, that she is always trying to be with the great
people, the county set, and I don't think that is the safe way of going
on."

Margaret mused sadly. "You frighten me, Ethel! I cannot say it is not
so, and these are