Page:Edgar Jepson--the four philanthropists.djvu/87

Rh "Well, it beats me," said Bottiger, more gloomily than ever.

I took advantage of the interruption afforded by the coming of the hors d'œuvres to shift the conversation to lighter themes, and we had a very pleasant lunch. I saw that Angel enjoyed it; her appetite was good, naturally enough, and she laughed many times.

When the coffee came and we had lighted our cigars, it seemed to me that the time for philanthropic discussions had come, and I said abruptly: "My sister wants to join the Company. She has run away from school, she won't go back and she's as keen on philanthropy as I am."

"It's not woman's work!" cried Bottiger hotly.

"Surely women have been great philanthropists," said I. "Why, we agreed that domestic removal was their proper line; that they shone in it. And we never know into what branches the operations of the Company may extend; we should be prepared for all kinds of work." "I didn't mean that at all!" said Bottiger, again hotly.

"I'm entirely opposed to the practice of a woman's working," said Chelubai.

"You carry your Englishness too far. This is mere prejudice. But really this is not a question which we can properly discuss; the correspondents of one of the daily papers settled it one way or