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a small salary should be paid. A whole staff of sympa- 

 thetic nurses could thus be formed. To such a reformed 

 institution farms could be added and public patronage 

 solicited. I am assured that a movement of this kind 

 would grow and flourish like a tree planted in fruitful 

 soil ! 



In our town society also there are multitudes of young 

 girls in families who, like the class of which I have just 

 spoken, suffer terribly from lack of all occupation. Such 

 should be summoned to the work, for what is more na- 

 tural to woman -kind than the office of nurse and the 

 love of children. I am certain that once summoned 

 many would answer to the call, and a most useful corps 

 of workers could be formed. The work required 

 from such volunteers would consist chiefly of organiza- 

 tion and supervision. If in any town there should be 

 no good souls ready to undertake this labour of love 

 without reward a few experienced women could be in- 

 vited on a salary, the funds of such charities being fully 

 equal to such a demand. In some alms-houses the keep 

 of each inmate runs to pounds in a month, and the 

 margin here is very ample. 



And to the rich upon their death-beds I would say : 

 Leave no money for refuges unless these ^refuges are 

 united with orphanages ; and if the latter class of char- 

 ity seems to you mere profligate waste an opinion I 

 have sometimes heard expressed by the provincial Croesus 

 leave your bequest in the form of capital the interest on 

 which is to be paid to this or that old pensioner whom 

 the district or town council recognizes worthy of the 

 aid. By this two good ends will be attained ; you will 

 aid the family of this sufferer and will enable him to go 

 on living amongst his own relations who will respect 

 the old age which no longer lies upon them like a weight. 

 This indeed will be the best and most useful way to- 

 quiet your Christian conscience. 



Speaking of the aged and infirm I have digressed 

 from the question now before us, the education of the 



