"Of course she would ask every one if she asked any," remarked Ida. "Well, I don't know. I think she might have left out some of them. There is Norah Flynn. She said she would come if she could be spared, and Miss Ackerman said,— "'Oh, you must come; I want you all. I shall ask Mrs. Barnard to spare you.' "I must say I think it is queer she should invite such girls as Norah Flynn and Eunice Riker to meet us," added Julia, drawing herself up with an air of dignity. "Why so?" asked Mrs. Van Zandt. "You are all in the same class." "But, aunt, just think! Norah Flynn is the daughter of Mrs. Eagen's gardener, and works out—just a common servant at Mrs. Barnard's; and Eunice is the daughter of a washerwoman. I don't think such people are very suitable company for us." "Why not?" asked Ida bluntly. "Eunice is one of the very best scholars in the class.—Only think, mother! She goes to the Public Library on Saturday to study her lesson, and she can answer more questions than any other girl in the class.—Didn't she tell all about Darius this morning? And I am sure she is as much of a lady in her manners as you or I either. And what if Norah does live out? I think it is to her credit to help her father when he works so hard and there are so many of them; don't you, mother?" "I certainly do, my dear." "And I don't know what you would have had Miss Ackerman do, I am sure," continued Ida. "Would you have had her ask all the class except Eunice and Norah? How would that have looked?" "I don't think we want such girls in our class, anyhow," said Julia, with another toss of her head; "I don't believe in mixing things up in that way. I think distinctions in society ought to be preserved. Mamma says Mrs. Barnard is spoiling Norah. She treats her just as if she were a young lady; she lets her sit in her own library to learn her Sunday-school lessons—that is worse than going to the Public Library—and she converses with her about them." "Well, why shouldn't she?" asked Ida. "Well, I don't believe in such notions. I believe in ordering servants; don't you, aunt?" "My dear, I never order my servants; I always ask them," replied Mrs. Van Zandt, who knew that Julia was only repeating what she had heard at home. "But, Julia, don't you expect to go to heaven with all sorts of people? And did not our Lord when on earth mix with all sorts alike?" "And he says all Christians are brethren; doesn't he, mother? I was reading that only this morning: "'One is your Master, "even" Christ, and all ye are brethren.' Matt. xxiii. 8. "If that is so, I don't see why we should look down on people because we pay them to do something that we don't want to do, or don't know how to do, perhaps."