ow, if it is
only a cellar and starvation. But perhaps"--with a shrug--"that class of
Irish are never happy without a grievance. Now, Twiss, it appears to me,
has just ground for complaint.--A shoemaker," turning to the judge a face
beaming with fun, "whom this young lady has transported and set down in
charge of gardens and hot-houses. He does not know a hoe from a mower, and
he is too old to learn. He had a good trade: now he has nothing."

"But he could not live by his trade," cried Jane.

"Well, cobbling is looking up now. In any case, you have pauperized him."

"That's bad--bad! Now, in Virginia we used to feed everybody who came
along!" said the judge, shaking his head. "But I've learned wisdom in the
cities. Every bit of bread given to a beggar degrades human nature and rots
society to the core."

"But suppose he is starving?" urged the captain. "The Good Samaritan wasn't
afraid of pauperizing that poor devil on the road."

"Let him starve. He will have preserved his self-respect. The Good
Samaritan knew nothing of political economy, sir."

Jane left her breakfast untasted. She understood nothing about political
economy, but she saw that she had done irreparable injury to these people
whom she had tried to serve--God knew with what anxiety and tenderness of
heart. In one case, at least, there had been no mistake.

"Did you see Phil?" she said, turning with brightening countenance to Miss
Fleming. "We intend to have Phil educated. He is such a keen-witted little
fellow."

Miss Fleming laughed outright now: "Mr. Neckart's protege? Yes, I saw him.
He has been stealing tobacco and money from Dave, it appears, ever since he
came, and was found out this morning. There was a horrible row in the
stable as I passed."

"Of course he stole!" said the judge triumphantly. "I tell you, the more
efforts you make to reform the dangerous classes the more hardened you will
grow. It's hopeless--hopeless!"

Her other listeners each promptly presented their theory. Like all
intelligent Americans, they were provided with theories on every social
problem, and were ready to hang it on an individual stable-boy or any other
nail of a fact which might offer. Jane alone sat silent. She did not hear
when her father spoke to her once or twice.

"You are disappointed," Mr. Van Ness's soft soothing voice murmured in her
ear. "I know how these baffled efforts chill the heart. I will explain to
you the machinery which I propose to bri