OR, WITH BRAINS, SIR. 309 



was plainly ill at ease in it, or in the room, I don't know 

 which. Evidently the parlor was for show and company. 



"It is labor you are looking for, is it? Plenty of it 

 round, such as it is, Irishmen and Germans." 



" We are not in want of men at all. We want young 

 people, would prefer girls." 



" Girls ! girls to work on your place? " 



" Certainly. The work is light and not difficult." 



" I never heard of such a thing before. Girls work on a 

 farm ! not much. It would kill 'em right off. A girl or 

 woman might as well hold the moon as a plough. You nor I 

 will never see such a thing as a woman at work out-of-doors, 

 and, what is more, I hope we never shall. My daughters 

 never will, at any rate." 



"You know, sir, a great deal more about farming than I 

 do ; but I cannot see what objection there can be if a girl or 

 woman assists about a farm, picking peas, tying up tur- 

 nips, gathering strawberries, or any occupation requiring a 

 quick eye and ready fingers. There are hundreds of young 

 girls, daughters of poor men, who would gladly earn some- 

 thing for their own support if they could know how, and 

 were not afraid of Mrs. Grundy." 



"Who is Mrs. Grundy?" 



" The old lady who lives next door, and always says 

 ' They say,' " said I, coming to the rescue. 



