94 THE WORLD'S WORKERS. 



out exactly as we would have them. Thus it was 

 with Mary Carpenter. It was the experience of years 

 which led her to establish the Kingswood school. 

 She was convinced that what the poor children of the 

 streets needed more than anything was to belong to a 

 family, to feel that they were cared for, and that they 

 must observe rules and regulations as members of 

 happy families always do. When the scheme was 

 floated she was full of hope. Shs was prepared to 

 put both strength and time into the undertaking. 

 Every moment that could be spared from the ragged 

 school, from her writing, or from home duties, she 

 gave to Kingswood. No weather daunted her. On 

 the coldest, dreariest days she might be seen making 

 her way to the school on foot, for Kingswood was 

 four miles away from Bristol, where she lived, and 

 Mary Carpenter was not wealthy, " it was only by 

 constant personal economy that she could afford to 

 be generous." She arrived there, however, full of 

 energy and enthusiasm, and full of love for the poor 

 little inmates. 



With the children her influence was extraordinary. 

 They were never afraid of her ; they always felt that 

 they could appeal to her as to one who was their 

 friend. A little incident reported by herself two or 

 three weeks after the school was opened was quite 

 typical of the children's feeling to her. " When I last 

 went to Kingswood," she said, "a poor little sinner 

 who had been obliged to be locked up, a most dreadful 



