A WORK CONFERENCE 47 



used in the garden and was chosen because it 

 recalls the beautifully weathered blue-green wag- 

 gons, so often met with in narrow, winding Sussex 

 lanes, looks well when lit up at night. This is 

 the colour of the tall, square, wooden uprights that 

 support the square-mesh treillage roof in this little 

 garden, and through the window I can see the 

 same blue, within the room, for a group of slim 

 young girls, with scarves and coats of this colour, 

 stand talking round the fire. They are discussing 

 with their Chief the best-grown flowers and speci- 

 mens of apples that are to be taken next day to 

 a neighbouring flower-show. It is a pretty picture, 

 as they stand in a circle, noting in their pocket- 

 books the duties that are chosen for each to fulfil. 

 By the smiling, interested faces upon which the 

 firelight flickers, one might imagine that it was the 

 figure of a cotillon that they were discussing, and 

 not the strenuous work of a flower-show day. It 

 needs indeed some courage and energy to rise by 

 candle-light on a dull winter's morning and pack 

 lowers and fruit in time to run the trolley-load to 

 :he station for a 7 a.m. train. If, however, a silver 

 ledal or even an illuminated commendation card 

 is carried home at night, the reward is ample for 

 ill previous work. 



But the wide swing gate on the road above has 

 flown back with a screech of impatience at being 

 disturbed again after closing hours, and this 

 announces the arrival of the lecturer. A short, 

 dark figure is seen advancing, holding evidently a 

 most precious charge, a neatly-packed brown paper 

 parcel, in his arms. Its size and shape resemble an 

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