ladyship sometimes
forgot it. She was engaged seeking some report amongst her papers when
Miss Hague entered, but she gave her a nod of welcome. Mr. Jones said,
"Ah, Miss Hague," with superior affability, and luncheon was announced.

Lady Angleby had to give and hear opinions on a variety of subjects
while they were at table. Middle-class female education Mr. Jones had
not gone into. He listened and was instructed, and supposed that it
might easily be made better; nevertheless, he had observed that the best
taught amongst his candidates for confirmation came from the shopkeeping
class, where the parents still gave their children religious lessons at
home. Then ladies of refined habits and delicate feelings as mistresses
of elementary schools--that was a new idea to him. A certain robustness
seemed, perhaps, more desirable; teaching a crowd of imperfectly washed
little boys and girls was not fancy-work; also he believed that
essential propriety existed to the full as much amongst the young women
now engaged as amongst young ladies. If the object was to create a class
of rural school-mistresses who would take social rank with the curate,
he thought it a mistake; a school-mistress ought not to be above
drinking her cup of tea in a tidy cottage with the parents of her
pupils: he should prefer a capable young woman in a clean holland apron
with pockets, and no gloves, to any poor young lady of genteel tastes
who would expect to associate on equal terms with his wife and
daughters. Then, cookery for the poor. Here Mr. Jones fell inadvertently
into a trap. He said that the chief want amongst the poor was something
to cook: there was very little spending in twelve shillings a week, or
even in fifteen and eighteen, with a family to house, clothe, and feed.
Lady Angleby held a quite opposite view. She said that a helpless
thriftlessness was at the root of the matter. She had printed and
largely distributed a little book of receipts, for which many people had
thanked her. Mr. Jones knew the little book, and had heard his wife say
that Lady Angleby's receipt for stewed rabbits was well enough, but that
her receipt for hares stewed with onions was hares spoilt; and where
were poor people to get hares unless they went out poaching?

"I assure your ladyship that agrimony tea is still drunk amongst our
widows, and an ounce of shop-tea is kept for home-coming sons and
daughters grown proud in service. They gather the herb in the autumn