arbitration. And what is arbitration?" asked Mr. Gerrish, levelling his
ruler at Mrs. Munger. "It is postponing the evil day."

"Exactly," said Mrs. Munger, without winking.

"Mr. Marvin," Mr. Gerrish proceeded, "may be running very smoothly now,
and sailing before the wind all--all--nicely; but I tell _you_ his
house is built upon the _sand_," He put his ruler by on the desk very
softly, and resumed with impressive quiet: "I never had any trouble but
once. I had a porter in this store who wanted his pay raised. I simply
said that I made it a rule to propose all advances of salary myself, and I
should submit to no dictation from any one. He told me to go to--a place
that I will not repeat, and I told him to walk out of my store. He was
under the influence of liquor at the time, I suppose. I understand that he
is drinking very hard. He does nothing to support his family whatever, and
from all that I can gather, he bids fair to fill a drunkard's grave inside
of six months."

Mrs. Munger seized her opportunity. "Yes; and it is just such cases as this
that the Social Union is designed to meet. If this man had some such place
to spend his evenings--and bring his family if he chose--where he could get
a cup of good coffee for the same price as a glass of rum--Don't you see?"

She looked round at the different faces, and Mr. Gerrish slightly frowned,
as if the vision of the Social Union interposing between his late porter
and a drunkard's grave, with a cup of good coffee, were not to his taste
altogether; but he said: "Precisely so! And I was about to make the remark
that while I am very strict--and obliged to be--with those under me in
business, _no_ one is more disposed to promote such objects as this of
yours."