a hundred young women sitting on benches, leaning over huge tables covered
with unfinished pottery. Each held in her hand a plate, bowl, or vase, on
which she executed some design. The clergy showed more interest than they
had hitherto done, and as they leaned to and fro examining the work, one of
them discovered the something _Guardian_, a Wesleyan organ, on one of
the tables, and hailing his fellows, they began to interview the
proprietor. But the guide said they had to visit the store-rooms, and
forced them away from their 'lamb.'

Ridges of vases, mounds of basins and jugs, terraces of plates, formed
masses of sickly white, through which rays of light were caught and sent
dancing. Along the wall on the left-hand side presses were overcharged with
dusty tea-services. On the right were square grey windows, under which the
convex sides of salad-bowls sparkled in the sun; and from rafter to rafter,
in garlands and clusters like grapes, hung gilded mugs bearing devices
suitable for children, and down the middle of the floor a terrace was built
of dinner-plates.

Two rooms away, a large mound of chamber-pots formed an astonishing
background, and against all this white and grey effacement the men who
stood on high ladders dusting the crockery came out like strange black
climbing insects.

The clergyman said it was very interesting, and just as he did everything
else the guide explained the system of storing employed by the firm; how
the crockery was packed, and how the men would soon be working only three
days a week on account of the American tariff. But he was not much listened
to. Everyone was now tired, and the clergymen, who, since the discovery of
the newspaper, had been showing signs that they regarded their visit to the
potteries as ended, pulled out their watches and whispered that their time