that is the Monroe doctrine!"

"But are you not a Christian?" said Howard.

"I believe myself to be one," said Mrs. Graves; "and no doubt you
will say, 'Why do you live in wealth and comfort?' That's a
difficulty, because Christ meant us to be poor. But if one hands
over one's money to Christian institutions now, one is subsidising
the forces of the world--at least so I think. It's very difficult.
Christ said that we should bestow our goods upon the poor; but if I
were to divide my goods to-morrow among my neighbours, they would
be only injured by it--it would not be Christian of them to take
them--they have enough. If they have not, I give it them. It does
less harm to me than to them. But this I know is very irrational;
and the point is not to be affected by that. I could live in a
cottage tomorrow, if there was need."

"Yes, I believe you could," said Howard.

"As long as one is not dependent upon money," said Mrs. Graves, "it
doesn't very much matter. The real point is to take the world as it
comes, and to be sure that one is on the side of what is true and
simple and sincere; but I do not pretend to have solved everything,
and I am hoping to learn more. I do learn more every day. One can't
interfere with the lives of people; poverty is not the worst evil.
It is nice to be clean, but I sometimes think that the only good I
get from money is cleanliness--and that is only a question of
habit! The real point is to be in life, to watch life, to love it,
to live it; to be in direct relations with everyone, not to be
superior, not to be KIND--that implies superiority. I just plod