sink so low; it seems all to me like a horrid dream. I felt so miserable, so desolate, such a yearning for something, and so I was deceived by that which seemed to revive and cheer me; but God is my witness I had no thought of sinking and falling as I did fall. Wasn't it shocking? O how bitterly I have reflected upon it! I suppose darling Emma and Josephine are home now? Do they know of it?' 'No, my dear Adelaide; let bygones be bygones. Let everything be new and strong from this day, resolves, affections, aims, hopes, let all be new and strong from this moment. Come, my love, and seal this with a kiss.' Scarcely daring to believe herself for joy, the lady advanced to her husband, and murmured, Edward, the old love is better than the young of long ago; it is more sure, I believe,' adding after a moment or two, God help me to show myself worthy of it.' And God help me to make some compensation for the coldness and indifference of the past,' he responded, solemnly. Then, to check his wife's tears which were still flowing fast, he said, 'Have you lost all your woman's curiosity, Adelaide ? You have not asked a single question respecting that model of a husband to whom I alluded?' Who is he, Edward? I am really impatient to know something of him,' said the lady, as she wiped away her Gillespie, understanding her mournful speech and air. I will try my utmost with her to please you, dear,' said she, rising and putting her hand within his arm. When am I to go home, Edward? To-day?' 'No, to-morrow, Adelaide. I will come over with the carriage for you. I must announce your coming.' 'You will not fail to come?' she said, anxiously. 'By no means, if I have life and strength,' he replied. And now I am going to stay and take luncheon with you to-day. I must let Mrs. Keet know this,' he added, ringing the bell. IV. The quiet joy of Mrs. Gillespie at finding herself restored to home and a warmer place in her husband's affections than she had hitherto known; the delight of her children-especially Emma and George-the pleasure manifested by the entire household in welcoming back the beloved mistress who, the domestics all agreed, 'had been hardly treated,' may be better imagined than described. Poor Mat Mahoney, who was giving great satisfaction, even to the exacting head-gardener, soon heard that his honour' had been somewhere to fetch my lady' home, and a long string of benedictions he invoked upon both of them, little conscious of how much he had had to do with causing such a revolution in the feelings of 'his honour' with regard to the longbanished mistress of Blandford Hall. Mat caught a glimpse of Mrs. Gillespie as the carriage which conveyed her home passed through the grounds on its way. But he was anxious for a nearer view of her gentle face, and most unexpectedly his desire was gratified; for the very next day, as he was industriously bending over a flower-bed, who should startle him from a bit of a reverie but the master and mistress themselves? Mat was nearly at his wits'-end with surprise and delight. He drew his athletic figure up, and doffed his old hat with a series of rapid bows, all the while keeping his eyes fixed on my lady. Her words were few and low. Your name is Mahoney, my good fellow ?' 'Yes, 'm; yes, my lady,' he stammered. 'I want to see your wife, Mahoney; Mat Mahoney's Fidelity. will you ask her to call on me tomorrow?' 'I'll ar her my lady; but it's quite another thing if she'll come. You'll excuse her, my lady, and myself for bein' so bould as to spake out in this fashion, but his honour there knows how the matther stands.' 'Yes, yes, I know,' said Mrs. Gillespie; but, now, do try to bring her yourself to-morrow; it is for her good and for your own that I wish to see her. Try your best to get her to come, Mahoney. And the lady smiled and passed on. 'What a hangel of a crathur!' ejaculated Mat, with tears springing to his eyes, when she was out of hearing; 'couldn't I lay down my ould life for such a jewel! O my Bridget, my poor Bridget! shure if ye could get alongside o' such a hangel as this, some sort of a blessing 'ud distil upon ye.' Somehow Mahoney got his good woman to make her appearance at Blandford Hall, though, as he many a time after averred, it was a precious sight worse than a five-mile jaunt with a stubborn calf,' and poor, trembling, disfigured Bridget Mahoney had an interview with Mrs. Gillespie. "Mrs. Mahoney,' began the lady, 'we want a new lodge-keeper for our west lodge-the one that you passed on your way up to the house; and we have had some thought of asking your husband whether he would like the charge; but I thought I had better see you about it first, because in a case like this I think the wife ought to be consulted.' Poor Bridget nervously raised the end of her ragged shawl to her face, and dropped it again, but said not a word. 'Should you like to live there?' asked Mrs. Gillespie, gently. Oh, my lady, if ye only knowed how bad I am, ye wouldn't ax me,' said Bridget, bursting into tears. 'I ask you for your husband's sake, as much as for your own,' said Mrs. Gillespie. He is so good and kind, at least I have heard so, that I should like to do something to reward him.' Ye cannot have heard the half, my lady,' sobbed Bridget. There isn't another such a jewel of a man under the sun at all, at all! O I'm so mighty bad to him intirely! When I ponder on it I could go right away, and make a hole in the wather.' Nay, nay, Bridget, my poor woman. When you think of it don't you feel to want to be better, to please him, and to 177 try to reward him for his goodness to you? O, my poor woman, many a grand lady might envy you such a kind and faithful husband as you have.' 'I know, I know, my lady, I don't deserve it at all,' said Bridget, between her sobs. Do excuse me, good lady, for takin' on like this; but my heart seems burstin'. 'Yes, yes, I know how you feel,' said Mrs. Gillespie, turning away to the window, to give Bridget opportunity to recover herself, as well as to hide her own tears. Presently, when Bridget's outburst of grief had somewhat subsided, Mrs. Gillespie approached, and not dreading contact with the degraded woman, laid her hand gently on Bridget's shoulder, saying, Mrs. Mahoney, you were once a happy wife, were you not? and had a happy home?' is '0 yes, my lady.' 'But you are not happy now? Neither No, no, the Lord knows,' said Bridget, despairingly. 'Wouldn't you like to make him happy, and live comfortably together, as you did when you were first married?" said Mrs. Gillespie. O, but there ain't no hope,' sighed Bridget. We shall niver be happy again. He couldn't be happy with me, my lady. I runned away from him once, hoping as he would be happy when he was rid of me; but he searched me out, and brought me back again to make his dear heart writched, and niver a word of blame or anger did the poor sowl spake to me at all." 'Well now, Mrs. Mahoney,' said the lady, hopefully, 'I want you to do something that will please me quite as much as it will please your good and faithful husband." example, and my example, you would be, and that very soon.' Your example, dear lady?' said Bridget, as if the words had mystified her. 'Yes; I am like your husband in one respect, that I follow good Father Mathew's advice, and never touch any of those dangerous and unnecessary intoxicating drinks. That they are dangerous you know well enough; and that they are unnecessary, too; for doesn't your good husband work hard year after year without them?' That's true, my lady,' said Bridget, gazing down at the carpet meditatively. Then heaving a deep sigh she looked up and said, 'Och, now, I'd give the intire world if I could give it up, my lady!-for his sake.' I am sure you could if you would only try,' said Mrs. Gillespie, earnestly. If you will promise me, you shall have that pretty little lodge to live in, and come right away from all your old bad companions and their temptations, and make a peaceful home for your good husband. Will you try?' 'Yes, dear lady,' said Bridget, clasping her hands and speaking with true Irish fervour, 'I'll try with all my heart and sowl, and the good Lord in heaven hears what I'm saying, and I besache Him to help me!' Here she burst into tears again. 'Come with me,' said Mrs. Gillespie, in an unsteady voice. She led the way into the hall, and taking a garden-hat from the stand, put it on and walked out on to the terrace, Bridget following. Mat was at work not far off, and when he caught sight of the lady she beckoned to him. He immediately ran towards her, and respectfully doffed his hat. 'Mahoney,' she began, and then paused, for a step behind caused her to turn round. It was her husband. She held out her hand to him, and resumed, Mahoney, both I and your wife have a promise to make to you, which I hope will give you pleasure; mine is that you and Bridget shall have the west lodge yonder for your home, if you like; for as Mr. Gillespie wishes to keep you on, we think it will be well for you to be always on the spot; and your wife has to promise you that she will henceforth strive to be as faithful to you as you have been to her through so many painful years.' 'Yes, Mat, my darlin',' said the still weeping Bridget, as she stepped forward and took her husband's hard brown hand; 'I'm goin' to give up the drink intirely for once and all, and thry to make yer dear old heart glad all the rest o' yer days: and shure it's a king as ye'll be, livin' in such a place as this, as is for all the world like a fairy dream.' 'It's more like a dream to hear ye talk in this fashin, my own Bridget,' said Mat, dashing some tears from his face. 'Tell me, is it intirely thrue that ye mane to become a new woman?' 'I do mane it, indeed,' sobbed Bridget, hiding her face on her husband's bosom. 'Then the good Lord be praised!' said Mat, earnestly. 'And may He iver bless you, dear lady, for the kind words o' your lips to my poor Bridget, which have winned her over to make such a resolution as this; and God bless yer honour, too,' he added, raising his old hat to Mr. Gillespie, for iver spakin' a kind word to me, and bringin' me in the way of such a load o' blessin'.' 'I am pleased to help an honest and a deserving man,' said Mr. Gillespie ; and I hope there are happy days in store for you, Mahoney. If your wife will only be as faithful to you as you have been to her, I know there must be a deal of happiness in store for you.' Yes, and so there was. For Bridget's repentance was hearty and sincere, as was evidenced by her abandoning her drinking ways at once and for ever. She kept her new home at the lodge 'a perfect pattern,' and as she said to Mr. and Mrs. Gillespie one day when they entered the lodge to take a rest, 'My heart is always singin' for joy the live-long day, now I'm makin' my dear Mat happy; and good thoughts come into my mind while I'm at my work,thoughts of the heaven above, and the blessed Saviour, as I believe have forgiven me for all my years of sin and wickedness; now my mind is clear,' she added, touching her forehead significantly, I can think o' these things.' 'Let us be very grateful to God at all times, Bridget, for His forgiving love and tender mercies,' said Mrs. Gillespie, gently. And as she walked homeward, leaning on her husband's arm, she said, 'I feel that we have reason to bless God every day for Mahoney's influence. Honest fellow! he has little idea of how much has come of his fidelity.' ART. ART. VII.-SOCIAL SCIENCE SELECTIONS. WHAT MIGHT BE DONE BY THE LEADERS OF MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY. As it would be with soldiers in a garrison, the aggregation of people in factories without due provisions outside the factory, is productive of irregular and inferior service, and frequent unintelligent action within the factory. As, however, manufactures on a larger scale have become more settled and systematized, and the consumption of goods more regular, and as capital has accumulated, many better educated and more liberal capitalists, with leisure to look beyond the walls of their manufactories, have introduced various improvements in the condition of their workpeople; some by providing better houses for them, others by providing improved schools for their children; and they have generally found that the improved external conditions, by bringing and keeping a more respectable class of people about them, have been attended by improved internal service in the manufactory. One great firm pays most sedulous attention to its own half-time schools, and will not, if it can possibly avoid, engage any one, even for superior positions, in its service, who has not gone through those schools. Whether it be single capitalists, or associated capitalists, in companies, co-operative or other, who will have to seek, and probably to compete for, new hands to meet the coming demands for the increased production of manufactured goods, it may be urged upon them that they would themselves do well to make more matured provision for a class of workpeople qualified for the better application than heretofore of the same wages, or of the improved wages which it will probably be necessary to give. Sanitary science and economical science will now enable them to invite new comers by saying to them, 'If you join us, you may rely upon having fellowworkers of respectable conditions, and of being protected from the annoyance of association with habitual drunkards, or with persons of disreputable conduct, for we permit none such to remain with us. Our place of work is warmed and ventilated on the best principle, and provision is made for the personal cleanliness and comfort of our workpeople. You will have a convenient and self-contained house for your wife and family, well-drained and ventilated, and provided with pure water, as also with warm water laid on from the condensing water of our works, for baths and for washing, with a garden plot attached to it. Our workpeople have a co-operative store of their own, in which you, may obtain wholesome food at wholesale prices, by which you will save twenty per cent. on your expenditure for food. Your children will have the advantage of a school under good teachers for physical as well as mental training, on the half-schooltime principle. We have engaged for the protection of the health and working strength of our people, the services of a medical officer of health, less to cure than to prevent disease, by seeing to the removal of its causes. If you attend to his suggestions, for yourself and family, while using our working and living rooms, you may reduce your sickness and insurance charges more than one half, and extend the period of your working ability more than ten years beyond the periods obtained in other places. This will enable you, under Mr. Gladstone's Annuity Act, by increased savings, to obtain a deferred annuity, that will give you easy and respectable independence when you are past work. In the ordinary conditions elsewhere, your doom, a premature death, after a wretched life, is certain. In the common conditions, in ill-drained, ill-conditioned, cesspool-tainted houses, without proper supplies of water, for which you will have to pay higher rents in low neighbourhoods, half your children will be in their graves soon after their fifth year, as you may see by the registrar's returns, all workmen's children are in Manchester, in Glasgow, and elsewhere. But here your wife may rear them all, and educate and train them all well; and you may enjoy with her and them the comforts of a cheerful home, to the comforts of which, each child as it grows up may, by duly moderated and salutary labour, contribute.' All this the enlightened leader of industry may promise and do, for we may show where one or other portion of the promise is fully performed by the most prosperous firms.-Mr. E. Chadwick's Opening Address at York. Transactions of the Social Science Association, York Meeting. Pp. 95-7. IRISH 180 IRISH CROCHET AND IRISH CROTCHETS. One of the peculiarities of the crochet production was, that it seemed to grow under the hands of its makers, and to be developed according to their intention; and this intention was truly nature's own, for there never was a more ungoverned manufacture. Given the first idea-the impulse-and provided with the implements the needle and the cotton-they ran along, fabricating with amazing speed, and weaving a web which exhibited a curious picture of their state. Their crude fancies knotted and gnarled the thread into shapes so various and extraordinary, that to examine them became a study-not of lace, but of people. Poor little girls! their notions of beauty were as rudimentary as those of the early races; their efforts were parallel to some that remain on the monuments of Nineveh and Egypt. They seemed, indeed, to begin at the beginning of woman's decorative conceptions, and uuconsciously to produce the same forms that suggested themselves to the Babylonians, and to Pharaoh's daughters, ignoring all that subsequent civilizations have done for feminine taste. This unrestrainedness gave the thing some of its most interesting features. The Beed was sown broadcast, and the return indicated the nature of the soil into which it fell; even the degeneration of the growth into a weed, does not militate against the force of its evidence as to the condition and character of the ground wherein it fructified. The art was taught here, and there, and everywhere, and those who took to it, generally, in a short time, did what they liked with it, and then there came up quantities of material-not raw, indeed, but dressed into the most complicated entanglement of designs, according to the degrees of sophistication of the workers. How they wearied themselves, to find that which was never yet seen under the sun, and how they toiled and laboured, to make out a way in which to express their sense of the beautiful, is known only to those to whom their appeal was familiar, in the constant craving for patterns and help. During this demand for crochet lace, a girl was sent on a message to a lady, who received her in her dining room; the moment she entered the room her eyes wandered all over the walls, and she seemed entirely forgetful of the presence of the lady, and of the errand on which she had come. Her strange manner was at first taken for the mere gaze of rustic wonderment, and was endured for a few minutes, exciting some little amusement; but when it lasted longer than seemed reasonable, and continued in spite of attempts to attract the girls attention to the business in hand, it produced alarm, lest it might be an indication of insanity; and its persistence beyond all bounds induced a strong feeling that it was dangerous. It was necessary to write a note in reply to the communication that had been brought, and the lady proceeded to do so; and, in order to do it without disturbance, she desired the messenger to wait in the hall. With an intensity of fervour that amazed her hearer, the girl preferred a request to be allowed to stay in the room. The lady, hoping she was harmless, though by no means comfortable under the infliction, acquiesced, and went on to indite her letter. exclamation which burst from her companion, and which sounded very like the rapture of an enthusiastic admirer of some scene which gave special delight and enjoyment, made her look up. An The girl was in an ecstacy; she was engaged in copying the arabesques off the wall papering! Utterly unconscious of the attention she was attracting, the artist went on with her work, and before the note was written, she had manipulated a little scroll with her needle and thread, and triumphantly produced it, declaring that there was money to be made out of that!' No lace but this crochet could have been dealt with in this manner; all others submit to a certain amount of external control, and it is because of its singular qualities that we venture to deduct so many inferences from the vagaries of this species of employment. In the process of its dissemination, it was very observable that only some hands went to it, as it were, naturally. The motions, it requires from the muscles are the reverse of those used in ordinary sewing; 'point' needlework, bobbin tossing' on the pillows, or other feminine handicrafts; it is, in fact, a movement from the body, not towards it, as in most other cases, and this kind of work was not taken up by all temperaments and organizations alike. |