And it's horrid, papa; there are lots of town children who wear immense long plaits of hair, and Mrs.Ledwich never interferes with them.

It is entirely to drive the poor Cocksmoor ones away--for nothing else, and all out of Fanny Anderson's chatter." "Ethel, my dear," said Margaret pleadingly.
"Didn't I tell you, Margaret, how, as soon as Flora knew what Mrs.
Ledwich was going to do, she went and told her this was the children's only chance, and if we affronted them for a trifle, there would be no hope of getting them back.

She said she was sorry, if we were interested for them, but rules must not be broken; and when Flora spoke of all who do wear long hair unmolested, she shuffled and said, for the sake of the teachers, as well as the other children, rags and dirt could not be allowed; and then she brought up the old story of Miss Boulder's pencil, though she has found it again, and ended by saying Fanny Anderson told her it was a serious annoyance to the teachers, and she was sure we should agree with her, that something was due to voluntary assistants and subscribers." "I am afraid there has been a regular set at them," said Margaret, "and perhaps they are troublesome, poor things." "As if school-keeping were for luxury!" said Dr.May.

"It is the worst thing I have heard of Mrs.Ledwich yet! One's blood boils to think of those poor children being cast off because our fine young ladies are too grand to teach them! The clergyman leaving his work to a set of conceited women, and they turning their backs on ignorance, when it comes to their door! Voluntary subscribers, indeed! I've a great mind I'll be one no longer." "Oh, papa, that would not be fair--" began Ethel; but Margaret knew he would not act on this, squeezed her hand, and silenced her.
"One thing I've said, and I'll hold to it," continued Dr.May; "if they outvote Wilmot again in your Ladies' Committee, I'll have no more to do with them, as sure as my name's Dick May.

It is a scandal the way things are done here!" "Papa," said Richard, who had all the time been standing silent, "Ethel and I have been thinking, if you approved, whether we could not do something towards teaching the Cocksmoor children, and breaking them in for the Sunday-school." What a bound Ethel's heart gave, and how full of congratulation and sympathy was the pressure of Margaret's hand! "What did you think of doing ?" said the doctor.