The day was fine, the wind in their favour, and as to entertainment,--why, there seemed, according to Gertrude, to be no possibility of any disagreement among the Virtues.
They took a boat at Westminster stairs; and just as they were about to push off, a poor woman, all in rags, with a child in her arms, implored their compassion.

Charity put her hand into her reticule and took out a shilling.

Justice, turning round to look after the luggage, saw the folly which Charity was about to commit.

"Heavens!" cried Justice, seizing poor Charity by the arm, "what are you doing?
Have you never read Political Economy?
Don't you know that indiscriminate almsgiving is only the encouragement to Idleness, the mother of Vice?
You a Virtue, indeed! I'm ashamed of you.

Get along with you, good woman;--yet stay, there is a ticket for soup at the Mendicity Society; they'll see if you're a proper object of compassion." But Charity is quicker than Justice, and slipping her hand behind her, the poor woman got the shilling and the ticket for soup too.