Upton Sinclair

“ An adventure for Jane, as well as for Mary!
What had Mary made of it, Hal wondered. Had she revelled, shop-girl fashion, in scenes of pallid ease? He learned that what she had made of it was despair. This world outside, with its freedom and cleanness, its people living gracious and worth-while lives, was not for her; she was chained to a scrub-pail in a coal-camp. Things had got so much worse since the death of her mother, she said. Her voice had become dull and hard--Hal thought that he had never heard a young voice express such hopelessness. ”

“ He asked more questions, and learned that she, like the Greek boy, "Andy," had come under the influence of that disturbing American institution, the public-school; she had learned to read, and the pretty young teacher had helped her, lending her books and magazines. ”

“ D' ye know her?"
"No," said Hal.
"The poor old lady has troubles enough, God knows. Her man's not much good--he's troubled with the drink; and she's got eleven childer, and that's too many for one woman. Don't ye think so?"
She asked this with a naïveté which made Hal laugh. "Yes," he said, "I do."
"Well, I think people'd help her more if she'd not complain so! And half of it in the Slavish language, that a body can't understand!" So Mary began to tell funny things about Mrs. ”