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ure that you are grateful and that you will all be very glad of an opportunity of showing your gratitude by doing something in return。
‘Doubtless some of you have noticed the unseemly condition of the interior of our Chapel。 The flooring is broken in countless places。 the walls are sadly in need of cleansing and distempering。 and they also need cementing externally to keep out the draught。 The seats and benches and the chairs are also in a most unseemly condition and need varnishing。
‘Now； therefore； after much earnest meditation and prayer； it has been decided to open a Subscription List； and although times are very hard just now； we believe we shall succeed in getting enough to have the work done； so I want each one of you to take one of these cards and go round to all your friends to see how much you can collect。 It doesn't matter how trifling the amounts are； because the smallest donations will be thankfully received。
‘Now； I hope you will all do your very best。 Ask everyone you know； do not refrain from asking people because you think that they are too poor to give a donation； but remind them that if they cannot give their thousands they can give the widow's mite。 Ask Everyone！ First of all ask those whom you feel certain will give： then ask all those whom you think may possibly give： and； finally； ask all those whom you feel certain will not give： and you will be surprised to find that many of these last will donate abundantly。
‘If your friends are very poor and unable to give a large donation at one time； a good plan would be to arrange to call upon them every Saturday afternoon with your card to collect their donations。 And while you are asking others； do not forget to give what you can yourselves。 Just a little self…denial； and those pennies and half…pennies which you so often spend on sweets and other unnecessary things might be given … as a donation … to the good cause。'
Here the holy man paused again； and there was a rumbling； gurgling noise in the interior of the balloon； followed by several escapes of gas through the safety valve。 The paroxysm over； the apostle of self…denial continued：
‘All those who wish to collect donations will stay behind for a few minutes after school； when Brother Hunter … who has kindly consented to act as secretary to the fund … will issue the cards。
‘I would like here to say a few words of thanks to Brother Hunter for the great interest he has displayed in this matter； and for all the trouble he is taking to help us to gather in the donations。'
This tribute was well deserved； Hunter in fact had originated the whole scheme in the hope of securing the job for Rushton & Co。； and two…and…a…half per cent of the profits for himself。
Mr Belcher now replaced the collecting card on the table and； taking up one of the hymn…books； gave out the words and afterwards conducted the singing； nourishing one fat； flabby white hand in the air and holding the book in the other。
As the last strains of the music died away； he closed his eyes and a sweet smile widened his mouth as he stretched forth his right hand； open； palm down； with the fingers close together； and said：
‘Let us pray。'
With much shuffling of feet everyone knelt down。 Hunter's lanky form was distributed over a very large area； his body lay along one of the benches； his legs and feet sprawled over the floor； and his huge hands clasped the sides of the seat。 His eyes were tightly closed and an expression of the most intense misery pervaded his long face。
Mrs Starvem； being so fat that she knew if she once knelt down she would never be able to get up again； compromised by sitting on the extreme edge of her chair； resting her elbows on the back of the seat in front of her； and burying her face in her hands。 It was a very large face； but her hands were capacious enough to receive it。
In a seat at the back of the hall knelt a pale…faced； weary…looking little woman about thirty…six years of age； very shabbily dressed； who had come in during the singing。 This was Mrs White； the caretaker； Bert White's mother。 When her husband died； the committee of the Chapel； out of charity； gave her this work； for which they paid her six shillings a week。 Of course； they could not offer her full employment； the idea was that she could get other work as well； charing and things of that kind； and do the Chapel work in between。 There wasn't much to do： just the heating furnace to light when necessary； the Chapel； committee rooms； classrooms and Sunday School to sweep and scrub out occasionally； the hymn…books to collect； etc。 Whenever they had a tea meeting … which was on an average about twice a week … there were the trestle tables to fix up； the chairs to arrange； the table to set out； and then； supervised by Miss Didlum or some other lady； the tea to make。 There was rather a lot to do on the days following these functions： the washing up； the tables and chairs to put away； the floor to sweep； and so on； but the extra work was supposed to be compensated by the cakes and broken victuals generally left over from the feast； which were much appreciated as a welcome change from the bread and dripping or margarine that constituted Mrs White's and Bert's usual fare。
There were several advantages attached to the position： the caretaker became acquainted with the leading members and their wives； some of who； out of charity； occasionally gave her a day's work as charwoman； the wages being on about the same generous scale as those she earned at the Chapel； sometimes supplemented by a parcel of broken victuals or some castoff clothing。
An evil…minded； worldly or unconverted person might possibly sum up the matter thus： these people required this work done： they employed this woman to do it； taking advantage of her poverty to impose upon her conditions of price and labour that they would not have liked to endure themselves。 Although she worked very hard； early and late； the money they paid her as wages was insufficient to enable her to provide herself with the bare necessaries of life。 Then her employers； being good； kind； generous； Christian people； came to the rescue and bestowed charity； in the form of cast…off clothing and broken victuals。
Should any such evil…minded； worldly or unconverted persons happen to read these lines； it is a sufficient answer to their impious and malicious criticisms to say that no such thoughts ever entered the simple mind of Mrs White herself： on the contrary； this very afternoon as she knelt in the Chapel； wearing an old mantle that some years previously had adorned the obese person of the saintly Mrs Starvem； her heart was filled with gratitude towards her generous benefactors。
During the prayer the door was softly opened： a gentleman in clerical dress entered on tiptoe and knelt down next to Mr Didlum。 He came in very softly； but all the same most of those present heard him and lifted their heads or peeped through their fingers to see who it was； and when they recognized him a sound like a sigh swept through the hall。
At the end of the prayer； amid groans and cries of 'Amen'； the balloon slowly descended from the platform； and collapsed into one of the seats； and everyone