"But, yes, by times I do. It is the young people that do use it most, though. Dose old ones, they so mooch vork do all the day that they will not yet take time to learn so that it seem not strange to them. It will be otherwise in time."
"Do they tell their needs at all?" began Joyce, when Marie had to answer a call, and sat smiling in that way which seems meaningless to a looker-on while some one's voice holds the attention at the other end. Presently she answered in quick tones. "Yes, it is so indeed. I will make note, and see if it may have answer. Yes. Oh, but that is true! Yes. All right, Good-by."
Joyce longed, yet hesitated, to ask what the communication had been, when Marie turned to her.
"You but now did ask, 'Do they tell their needs?' and this was one."
"Really? What was it? Pray tell me! Could it be gratified? I'd so like to know."
Marie smiled at the eagerness of her visitor.
"I tell you, then. It was Mr. Gus Peters, who want somebody to make him one easel, with a drawing-board that will slide up and down easy, for one nice sharp knife with three blade that he will give in exchange. He laugh w'en he say it, as if he think it no use, though."
"But it ought to be of use. Let's think, Marie. Who can do such things? Somebody that needs a nice knife. Some bright boy, say, with a head for such work."
Marie thought a minute.
"There is a boy," she said slowly. "He is not good for mooch, but he like that whittle kind of work, I know."