"See, Papa" pursued Adeline, "that poor little boy holding the girl's cloak,--he is all in rags! And look how the girl is crying! And the tall boy--how wretchedly ill he looks!" "I see, dear." "Oh, but, Papa, those two have no shoes nor stockings; and they seem so hungry. May I give them this shilling, Papa? to go and get something to eat?" "My dear Adeline," answered the Baronet, "those children are beggars." "Yes, Papa, I know that; do let us give the poor things something." "Beggars, Adeline, ought never to be encouraged, we should soon be eaten up by them if they were. They have no business there, it is contrary to law; and I am surprised that the policeman does not take them up. "Take them up, Papa?" said Adeline, the phrase producing an association of ideas in her youthful mind; "Dr. Goodman said in his sermon that we ought to take poor people in." "Dr. Goodman is a--that is, dear, he means that the poor should be taken in--charge by the--I mean that they should be properly provided for." "What did you say, Papa?" "Provided for; taken care of. There are places, you know, on purpose for them. That large building that we passed yesterday in the carriage is one of them. It is called a workhouse." "What, that place where the funny man with the great cocked-hat was standing at the door, Papa?" "You mean the beadle? Yes, dear." "And do they give them food there?" "Certainly; that is, a coarser kind of food, fit for such people." "And things to put on?" "And things to put on, too. They have clothes made on purpose for them. That man that you saw sweeping in front of the house was wearing a suit." "But what a fright he was, Papa. He looked as if he had been dressed up to be laughed at. I should not like to be dressed so if I were a man." "No, dear, nor is it meant that he should. It would never do to make a workhouse too delightful; for one great use of such places is to prevent people from becoming poor, just as houses of correction are intended to keep them from turning thieves. So the persons who go into one are not dressed and fed, and otherwise treated, so as to make their situation at all enviable. The consequence is, that those who know what they have to expect in such an asylum, learn not to be extravagant and careless, for fear they should become poor themselves." "But can all people help being poor, Papa?" "Most of them, my love; and those who cannot--can't be helped." "But those poor children, Papa,--why don't they go into the workhouse?" "Why, perhaps, they prefer remaining where they are. To be sure, they ought not be allowed to do so. Still, however, they are of some use. Everything has its use, you know, Adeline." Sir William was connected with the Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge. "But what use are beggars of, Papa," demanded Adeline, "when they do not work?" "Do you not recollect, dear," responded Sir William, "what Farmer Gibbs puts up in his corn-fields just after they have been sown?"