Sometimes Mrs.Morel read a paper.

It seemed queer to the children to see their mother, who was always busy about the house, sitting writing in her rapid fashion, thinking, referring to books, and writing again.

They felt for her on such occasions the deepest respect.
But they loved the Guild.

It was the only thing to which they did not grudge their mother--and that partly because she enjoyed it, partly because of the treats they derived from it.

The Guild was called by some hostile husbands, who found their wives getting too independent, the "clat-fart" shop--that is, the gossip-shop.