we had got out of earshot, our experienced chaperon remarked to me:
'When I hered him agoin' on so, I knowed he was agoin' to come down
'ansome. He's a wery nice genelman, what enjoys a grumble, and don't
mind paying for it!'

Our domiciliary visits occupied between three and four days, and the
rain fell in torrents during the whole time. We were wet through in
spite of the cloaks we wore, but canvassed the whole district
successfully notwithstanding, and probably collected every shilling
that was to be got. Our guide had so often felt the pulse of the whole
ward in this way, that he never suffered us to waste our time or our
demands upon those whom he knew to be impracticable; and thus we got
through the business much more quickly, as well as more prosperously,
than we could possibly have done had we been left to our own
resources. The result of our united labours was a purse of nearly
L.200; and now came the more pleasant part of our duty--the
distribution of alms, at a season when poverty is most severely felt,
to the most deserving of the most needy.

The distribution took place a few days after the collection was
finished. In the interim, blank tickets had been distributed to such
of the donors as chose to receive them, upon which they inscribed the
names of the poor persons whom they recommended for relief. The vestry
where we were elected was the scene of the distribution. The body of
the church was allotted for the accommodation of the poor
ticket-holders, who formed a numerous and very motley crowd, and who
were called in to receive their dole in rotation, by the ward-beadle,
from a list which he had prepared. I suspect, however, that the system
of rotation was not very rigidly observed, inasmuch as half-a-dozen
women, with squalling children in their arms, were among the very