w such things happened in the North," she said.

"They don't now, thanks to the unions. To-day's children have a better
chance than I had. But that's why the sky and flowers aren't so close to
my memory as the walls of the spinning-room and the whirring bobbins."

"Do eat your soup, Kathleen," Applebaum said, looking from his empty
plate. "It's quite cold."

"Well, if it's cold I won't bother with it. Yes, Miss Marie, you can
take it away. And who's that coming in? Major Hayes, I do believe! Come
over here and sit with us, Major. It's a long day since you've been
here."

An old man, walking slowly but with a soldierly bearing, came to where
Kathleen sat. He greeted her quietly, responded silently to her
introduction of Applebaum and Hertha, and, taking the fourth place at
the table, applied himself assiduously to his dinner. Hertha welcomed
his advent as relieving her of Kathleen's labor talk. He sat at her
right, and she noted his thin, aristocratic face, his high forehead and
long straight nose, his clear blue eyes and soft white hair. She thought
him the handsomest old gentleman she had ever seen--a little like old
Mr. Merryvale but with more of wisdom and worldliness. There was little
talk for a time, only Applebaum occasionally making pleasant if
unilluminating remarks on the day's happenings; but with the coming of
dessert and coffee Kathleen took command of the conversation and resumed
her charge. The Irishwoman, true to her race, was always ready for a
fight and could never see when she was beaten.

"We were talking of factories and unions before you came in," she said
turning to the Major. "Miss Ogilvie here went out on strike not long
since, the 'Imperial' shop. She led the girls out----"

"I did not," Hertha interrupted.

She was angry that Kathleen should represent her as doing anything so
aggressive.

"Well, you helped to, I'm proud to say. But I was telling them how I
worked in the mill when I was a kid. I was starting on the story of my
first strike, and I leading it, when the sight of you put it out of my
head."

"Tell it to us all now, Kitty," the Major said.

It was a pleasant time to hear a story. The room was quiet, for most of
the diners had left. Madame sat at the desk in the corner counting her
receipts, while a couple of elderly men in the middle of the room played
at dominoes. There was an air of homelikeness about the place. Major
Hayes and William Applebaum, lighting their cigars,