erial for undergarments or for children's dresses, could
have them for the present made up without charge by the class.

"But suppose they spiles 'em?"

"They wont spoil them. The work may not be very neat at first, but the
things will be well cut out and strongly put together. I will see to
that."

In a short time the class was opened, and forty girls at once attended.
So pleased were these with their teacher, and with the pleasant books
that Mr. Dodgson read to them--for his wife was far too much occupied to
read, and too wise to give the girls a distaste for the class by asking
them to do so--that the number of applicants for admission soon far
exceeded the number who could be received.

Mr. Brook heard shortly afterwards from Mr. Dodgson of the success of
the scheme and the great benefit which was likely to accrue from it, and
at once offered to contribute twenty pounds a year to secure the
services of a young woman capable of assisting in the girls' school by
day and of teaching needlework.

Thenceforth the number of class evenings was raised to three a week, and
sixty girls in all were admitted. The books chosen for reading were not
always tales, but for a portion of each evening books treating on
domestic matters, the care of a house, the management of illness,
cottage gardening, &c., were read; and these were found greatly to
interest the hearers. The book on gardening was a special favourite,
and soon the pitmen were astonished to see changes in the tiny plots of
ground behind their houses. The men in charge of the pit horses were
coaxed for baskets of manure, pennies were saved and devoted to the
purchase of seed, and the boys found that the most acceptable present
was no longer a gay handkerchief or ribbon, but a pot of flowers.

Revolutions are not made in a day, but as month passed after month the
change in Stokebridge became marked. The place assumed a smarter and
brighter aspect; it was rare to hear bad language from lads or girls in
the streets, for the young ones naturally followed the fashion set by
their elder brothers and sisters, and as a foul expression not
unfrequently cost its utterer a cuff on the head, they soon became rare.

The girls became more quiet in demeanour, neater in dress, the boys less
noisy and aggressive.

The boys' night-school had increased greatly in number. The Bull-dogs,
after much deliberation, had declined to increase their numbers, but at
Jack Simpson's suggestion