looked dirty at the end of that time. And
as for hands—Margaret, how many times did
you say you had washed your hands this
morning before twelve o'clock ? Three times,
was it not?"

"Yes, mamma."'

"You seem to have a strong objection to
acts of parliament and all legislation affecting
your mode of management down here at
Milton," said Mr. Hale.

"Yes, I have; and many others have as
well. And with justice, I think. The whole
machinery — I don't mean the wood and iron
machinery now — of the cotton trade is so
new that it is no wonder if it does not work
well in every part ail at once. Seventy years
what was it? And now what is it not?
Raw, crude materials came together; men of
the same level, as regarded education and
station, took suddenly the different positions of
masters and men, owing to the mother-wit,
as regarded opportunities and probabilities,
which distinguished some, and made them
far-seeing as to what great future lay concealed in
that rude model of Sir Richard Arkwright's.
The rapid development of what might be called
a new trade gave those early masters enormous
power of wealth and command. I don't mean
merely over the workmen; I mean over
purchasers—over the whole world's market.
Why, I may give you, as an instance, an
inent, inserted not fifty years ago in
a Milton paper, that, so-and-so (one of the
half-dozen calico-printers of the time) would
close his warehouse at noon each day; therefore
that all purchasers must come before
that hour. Fancy a man dictating in this
manner the time when he would sell and
when he would not sell. Now, I believe if a
good customer chose to come at midnight, I
should get up, and stand hat in hand to
receive his orders."

Margaret's lip curled, but somehow she
was compelled to listen; she could no longer
abstract herself in her own thoughts.

"I only name such things to show what
almost unlimited power the manufacturers
had about the beginning of this century. The
men were rendered dizzy by it. Because a
man was successful in his ventures, there
was no reason that in all other things his
mind should be well-balanced. On the
contrary, his sense of justice, and his simplicity,
were often utterly smothered under the glut of
wealth that came down upon him; and they
tell strange tales of the wild extravagance of
living indulged in on gala-days by those
early cotton-lords. There can be no doubt,
too, of the tyranny they exercised over their
work-people. You know the proverb, Mr.
Hale, ' Set a beggar on horseback, and he'll
ride to the devil,' — well, some of these early
manufacturers did ride to the devil in a
magnificent style — crushing human bone and
flesh under their horses' hoofs without
remorse. But by and by came a reaction;
there were more factories, more masters;
more men were wanted. The power of
masters and men became more evenly
balanced; and now the battle is pretty fairly
waged between us. We will hardly submit
to the decision of an umpire, much less to the
interference of a meddler with only a
smattering of the knowledge of the real facts of
the case, even though that meddler be called
the High Court of Parliament."

"Is there any necessity for calling it a
battle between the two classes? " asked Mr.
Hale. " I know from your using the term
it is one which gives a true idea of the real
state of things to your mind."

"It is true; and I believe it to be as much
a necessity as that prudent wisdom and good
conduct are always opposed to, and doing
battle with ignorance and improvidence. It
is one of the great beauties of our system
that a working-man may raise himself into
the power and position of a master by his
own exertions and behaviour; that, in fact,
every one who rules himself to decency and
sobriety of conduct, and attention to his
duties, comes over to our ranks; it may not be
always as a master, but as an overlooker, a
cashier, a book-keeper, a clerk, one on the
side of authority and order."

"You consider all who are unsuccessful in
raising themselves in the world, from whatever
cause, as your enemies, then, if I understand
you rightly," said Margaret, in a clear
cold voice.

"As their own enemies, certainly," said he,
quickly, not a little piqued by the haughty
disapproval her form of expression and tone
of speaking implied. But, in a moment, his
straightforward honesty made him feel that
his words were but a poor and quibbling
answer to what she had said, and, be she as
scornful as she liked, it was a duty he owed
to himself to explain, as truly as he could,
what he did mean. Yet it was very difficult
to separate her interpretation, and keep it
distinct from his meaning. He could have
illustrated what lie wanted to say the best
by telling them something of his own life;
but was it not too personal a subject to speak
about to strangers? Still it was the simple
straightforward way of explaining his
meaning; so, putting aside the touch of shyness that
brought a momentary flush of colour into his
dark cheek, he said:

"I am not speaking without book.
Sixteen years ago my father died under very
miserable circumstances. I was taken from
school, and had to become a man (as well as
I could) in a few days. I had such a mother
as few are blest with; a woman of strong
power, and firm resolve. We went into a
small country town, where living was cheaper
than in Milton, and where I got employment
in a draper's shop (a capital place, by the
way, for obtaining a knowledge of goods).
Week by week, our income came to fifteen
shillings, out of which three people had to be
kept. My mother managed so that I put by