think of your lace shawl, mamma! And grandma's."

Matilda waited, and when nobody carried on the talk and the silence
waited for her, she went on with Isaiah's beautiful words.

"'Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of
wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go
free, and that ye break every yoke? Is it not to deal thy bread to the
hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house?
when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not
thyself from thine own flesh?'"

"What is 'loosing the bands of wickedness'?" asked Mrs. Lloyd.

"Now-a-days, grandmamma, I should say it was breaking up the killing
rents and starving wages, and the whole system of tenement houses; for
one thing."

"Why what do you know about it, Davy, boy?"

"Not very much, ma'am; but I have seen a little, and the doctor I went
for told me a good deal."

"Davy's growing elegant in his speech, as well as modest," said his
sister. "He has 'heard a good deal,' but he 'don't know much.' O Davy,
why don't you make better use of your opportunities!"

"Very unprofitable opportunities, I must say," remarked his mother. "I
have no idea that such a boy has any business with them, or anything to
do in such places. And what does he know about wages and systems of
business?"

"Go on, Matilda," said Mrs. Lloyd. "I am afraid, my dear, David is
right. I have heard the same things from others. Go on, Matilda."

"'Then said he also to him that bade him, When thou makest a dinner or
a supper, call not thy friends, nor thy brethren, neither thy kinsmen,
nor thy rich neighbours; lest they also bid thee again, and a
recompense be made thee. But when thou makest a feast, call the poor,
the maimed, the lame, the blind: and thou shalt be blessed; for they
cannot recompense thee: for thou shalt be recompensed at the
resurrection of the just.'"

Matilda read these words, with a quick remembrance of the time when she
had read them in the company of her two little schoolmates, and the
discussion that had ensued thereupon; curious what their reception
would be now. It was stormy.

"The idea!" said Mrs. Bartholomew.

"That would make a finish of society at once," said Mrs. Laval.

"But what do the words mean?" asked Mrs. Lloyd. "There they are. They
must mean something."

"Something!" echoed Mrs. Bartholomew. "Just imagine, that we are to
gather in a company of cripples round our dinne