oment's pause,
"that I have not yet told you the new idea I have been so longing to
have your opinion upon, since ever it came into my head."

"Well, you must make haste," Mabel answered, "you see its quite late
already.

"O, it won't take long! I'll just tell you about it, and we can go into
it some other time, its only a project, you know, and of course I wanted
to have your opinion and advice first, and your help afterwards."

"All of which you may count on," said Mabel smiling.

"Well, then, I must ask you in the first place, if you know the row of
houses down beside the pit which papa built for the miners?"

"Yes, I pass it every day coming to school."

"Then you will probably have noticed how ill-kept and dirty the houses
are, and how untidy the women and children are, who continually lounge
and romp about the doors."

"Indeed I have," returned Mabel, "and I have often thought what a pity
it was that those houses which might be made so beautiful, should be
kept in such a state."

"That is just what papa was saying the other morning at breakfast. He
said that he had had the houses built on the most approved principles,
with every sort of convenience and facility for the promotion of health
and order, and yet when he took a party of gentleman down to the pit
last week, he was utterly ashamed to observe the squalor and misery of
the place. He said that some of the worst slums of London could hardly
be worse, except in the matter of light and air, and even these the
people seemed to be doing their best to exclude, judging from the dust
covered and tightly closed windows. It just occurred to me while he was
speaking that perhaps I might be able to do something to remedy this
terrible state of affairs. I am sure papa would be glad to do anything
to help us. I have not said anything to him about it till I should hear
your verdict, and because I haven't the least shadow of an idea what
plan would be best to go upon. What do you think of it?"

"I think it will be a very difficult matter, and will require a great
deal of consideration," replied Mabel thoughtfully.

"But you don't think it impossible or impracticable?" inquired Minnie,
anxiously.

"Impossible?--no," replied she, "But do you think our hands will be
strong enough, and our hearts stout enough for such an undertaking. It
is not a thing we may take up to amuse ourselves with for a moment, and
throw down when we are tired of it."

"O, there's no fea