that is the way to begin it, you may depend. Indeed, I suppose you have
tried it? The city is full of boys, and many of them are away down.
Since we cannot reach all of them this week, we must try to reach seven;
and failing in that, suppose we say one? For which one have you been
working? Just who, at this moment, specially interests you? I hope it is
one of my boys, because, you see, they appeal to me, just now, as no
others can. Which is it, Mr. Ried? and what have you tried to do for
him? and to what extent have you succeeded?"

There were never any hotter cheeks than young Ried's just at that
moment. This was the most extraordinary person with whom he had ever
talked. It was impossible to generalize with her. Not that he wanted to
generalize; on the contrary, he at once saw the possibilities growing
out of individual effort, and caught at the idea of undertaking
something. But the question was, Why had he not thought of it before?
One person to reach after, and try for!--surely, he might have attempted
it, instead of trying to carry the hundreds that he stumbled against,
and so accomplish nothing for any of them. It was humiliating, the
confession that he had to make:--

"Indeed, Mrs. Roberts, I have not one in mind. If you asked me what one
hundred I was most anxious about, I might possibly be able to answer;
but I see that there has been no individuality about it, unless, perhaps,
the half-dozen or more boys who compose that class are taking a
little stronger hold on me than any of the others; but even for them I
have tried to do nothing, unless two or three attempts to secure a
permanent teacher for them--which have ended in failure--may count for
effort. I don't blame myself as much as I might, because, now that you
suggest personal work to me, I realize that there is nothing for one
situated as I am to do. I have no Christian home at my command."