She reached it just as that lady was departing to preside at a meeting of a female missionary society for evangelizing the Patagonians.
"I suppose you have come to accompany me to the meeting," said she to Mrs.
Stevens, as soon as they had exchanged the usual courtesies.
"Oh, dear, no; I wish I was," she replied.

"I've got a troublesome little matter on my hands; and last night my husband suggested my coming to ask your advice respecting it.

George has such a high opinion of your judgment, that he would insist on my troubling you." Mrs.Kinney smiled, and looked gratified at this tribute to her importance.
"And moreover," continued Mrs.Stevens, "it's a matter in which your interest, as well as our own, is concerned." Mrs.Kinney now began to look quite interested, and, untying the strings of her bonnet, exclaimed, "Dear me, what can it be ?" "Knowing," said Mrs.Stevens, "that you entertain just the same sentiments that we do relative to associating with coloured people, I thought I would call and ask if you were aware that Miss Jordan receives coloured as well as white children in her school." "Why, no! My dear Mrs.Stevens, you astound me.

I hadn't the remotest idea of such a thing.

It is very strange my children never mentioned it." "Oh, children are so taken up with their play, they forget such things," rejoined Mrs.Stevens.