all
you think of as domestic science, but a school of the home spirit--just
the thing my people need. Thayer was, and is, a place where the girl
students of Clark University learn how to make real homes. And in the
college classes they learn what you might suppose any college student
would learn. That's why I said Mrs. Driver went to two schools."

J.W. recalled the Hightower speech of the night before, and the
discussion with Mr. Drury on the way home. He wanted to go into it all
with this pastor, who wasn't much past his own age, and evidently had
some ideas. For the first time he wondered too how it happened that in
that draft of the Everyday Doctrines of Delafield they had altogether
ignored the Negro. Was that a symptom of something? Then he remembered
his errand, and the work which was waiting up at the store.

So he said: "Excuse me, Mr. Driver, for being so inquisitive. I've never
thought much about our church's colored work, but what I heard at last
night's meeting started me. Rather curious that I should be here talking
about it with you the very next morning, isn't it? But about that
roofing, now. Of course you'll look around and get other estimates, but
anyway I'd be glad to take the measurements and give you our figures. I
promise you they'll be worth considering."

"I'm sure of that, Mr. Farwell," said the other, heartily, "and if I
have any influence with the committee--and I think I have--you needn't
lose any sleep over any other figures we might get. As for being
inquisitive about our work here, I wish more of this town's white
Methodists would get inquisitive. And that reminds me: there's to be an
Epworth League convention here week after next, and I've been told to
invite one of the League leaders in your church to make a short address
on the opening night. You're a League leader, I know, and the first one
I've thought about. So I'm asking you, right now. Will you come over and
speak for us?"

Now, though J.W. always said he was no speaker, he had never hesitated
to accept invitations to take part in League conventions. But this was
different. He made no answer for a minute. And in the pause his mind was
busy with all he knew, and all he had acquired at second hand, about the
relations of colored Christians and white, and particularly about what
might be thought and said if it should be announced that he was to speak
at a Negro Epworth League convention. And then he had the grace to
blush, realiz