and exercises the self-denial.
Her methods may be laughed at by wiser people, for there is some
wastage. The friendly club-keeper must have a profit, and the possession
of wealth represented by a whole sovereign costs something. But when
Mrs. Jones gets an early "draw," she exchanges her "draw" for a later
one, and makes some little profit.

Oh, the scheming and excitement of it all, for even Mrs. Jones cannot do
without her little "deal." But what will Sally settle down to? Now comes
the difficulty and deciding point in her life, and a critical time it
is.

Mrs. Jones has not attended a mother's meeting, she has been too busy;
church has not seen much of her except at the christenings; district
visitors and clergymen have not shown much interest in her; Jones
himself is almost indifferent, and quite complacent.

So Sally and her mother discuss the matter. The four shillings weekly
to be obtained in a neighbouring factory are tempting, but the girls are
noisy and rude; yet Sally will be at home in the evenings and have
time to help her mother, and that is tempting too! A neighbouring
blouse-maker takes girls to teach them the trade, and Sally can machine
already, so she will soon pick up the business; that looks nice too, but
she would earn nothing for the first three months, so that is ruled out.
Domestic service is thought of, but Sally is small for her age, and
only fourteen; she does not want to be a nurse girl; she has had enough
nursing--she has been a drudge long enough.

So to the factory she goes, though Mrs. Jones has her misgivings, and
gives her strong injunctions to come straight home, which of course
Sally readily promises, though whether that promise will be strictly
kept is uncertain. But her four shillings are useful in the family
exchequer; they are the deciding factor in Sally's life!

So on through all the succeeding years of the developing family life
comes the recurring anxiety of getting her children "out." These
anxieties may be considered very small, but they are as real, as
important, and as grave as the anxieties that well-to-do people
experience in choosing callings or professions for sons and daughters to
whom they cannot leave a competency.

And all this time the family are near, so very near to the underworld.
The death of Jones, half-timer as he is, would plunge them into it; and
the breakdown or death of Mrs. Jones would plunge them deeper still.

What an exciting and anxious li