Hollowmell | Page 7

it in hand as nobody else seems inclined to do
so. But how are we to begin?"
"That is just what we intend to consider."
"Of course, education does not seem to have wrought any great result
yet, for the children are compelled to go to school, yet they don't seem
to be influenced in any great degree morally by it. I suppose the reason
of that is that they don't know how to take advantage of it."
"I'll tell you what it is," said Minnie energetically, "Education is just
what they require, and the sort they get just now would probably
influence them in time. But we can't wait for that, and so we must do
our best to help it on, and try to get them to see the good of it, and take
advantage of it while they may; and the first step towards all this is to
win their hearts--we must begin with the children, and through them we
may reach the parents. It won't do to try any of the old methods of
reform, they're hardened in them all. Mrs. Merton and the missionary,
not to speak of the Episcopal Church curate, have all assailed them in
turn, with tracts, hymn books and Sunday-schools--not that I would for
a moment seem to despise these methods--only I think that in cases like
this they should be introduced judiciously, and when the people are in a
fit temper to receive them, and treat them with the respect they deserve;

instead of being, as it were, thrown at them just at a time, when they
will most probably not feel inclined to do anything but throw them
back, and if they can't exactly do that they do the thing next best
calculated to relieve their feelings--throw them in the fire. Now, I don't
see that this does any good, and I should not like our efforts to be
useless as theirs have been. We will take lessons from them and try to
avoid what seems to have been their great mistake--injudiciousness;
and perhaps showing a little too plainly that they considered them
heathen, and were determined to convert them at any cost."
Mabel laughed at Minnie's queer statement of the case, but was
constrained to admit that it was at least fair in the main, if a little severe
on the well-meant efforts of the persons referred to.
"Well, its quite clear we must take an entirely different course if we
wish to succeed," concluded Minnie, "and I hereby beg to propose as
our first course, a course of Popular Entertainments."
Mabel stared at her in amazement.
"Why, Minnie, are you crazy!" she exclaimed when she recovered her
breath.
"Well, no, not quite yet I hope," replied Minnie, enjoying the sensation
she had created, "But I suppose that was rather a big way to put it, I
don't wonder it took away your breath. The style of entertainment I
have in my head is a very small, innocent kind of affair, as you will
perceive when I tell you that they are to be carried out by ourselves,
and, moreover, that they are not to consist of anything more formidable
(for the present at anyrate) than the preparation of tea or coffee, and the
adjuncts pertaining thereunto."
"But how is it to be done?" asked Mabel, scarcely less mystified than
before, "It can't be done without money, and a good deal of money
too."
"That's just what bothered me at first," Minnie replied, "Of course, I
knew I could get the money from papa if I asked him for it, and could

assure him it was for a good purpose, but I wasn't going to do that,
because, in the first place, I wished to keep the thing a secret between
ourselves till we see how it will work, and in the next place I didn't
want to take the money from papa at all; so I thought out a plan, but to
carry it out we must take papa into our secret."
"Perhaps it would be as well to do that in any case," remarked Mabel,
"seeing it happens to be his work-people with whom we have to do, and
I daresay it is only fair and just that he should know about it. However,
let me hear the plan."
"You remember I told you I was laying past money for a sealskin jacket.
Papa thought I was too young to have one last year, but he promised
me that if I had a certain sum by my next birthday he would give me
the rest. I have saved a good deal, for I have done without some
things--a good many things--and given the money they would have cost
to papa to keep for me because I was always