Page:Sheila and Others (1920).djvu/127

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A DOUBTFUL POINT
115

without difficulty and wrote to her in as tempting and persuasive a style as I could command. Rather to my surprise it brought response. Mrs. Willkit presented herself in person. She looked very promising. She was attractive in make-up, gentle, neat and seemed to me of a practical turn. We made common cause from the first, and she agreed to do what she could to help me out, taking some of the work home with her. She made a personal favor of it, to be sure, but then everyone does nowadays and I was glad to get her on any terms. She said her husband didn't approve of her doing extra work. The girls were all busy and she had enough on her hands. She made it very clear that she circled in social realms far above that of mere seamstresses, and that on no account was she to be classed in with them. I was perfectly sound on this point. I have had experience. I treat them all as equals, nay, superiors, who from high motives of human kindness stoop to do me favors. We ignore by mutual consent, the sordid commercial aspect of the transaction (till pay-day) and trade only in the humanities. It is part of the price of labor in democratic countries and seems likely to go up. But I will admit there