Archie's Mistake

A ragged new worker unsettles the confident world of the Fairfax cotton mill at Longcross. Archie Fairfax, eighteen and newly employed in his father's office, regards Stephen Bennett's worn clothes as a disgrace to the business. Stephen performs his duties well, but the other mill hands treat him with hostility, and Archie becomes suspicious of his purchases and declining health. His father takes a different view, valuing the young worker's conduct rather than his appearance.

G. E. Wyatt brings questions of fairness and responsibility into a workplace where belonging depends partly on looking respectable. The story shows how readily curiosity about a stranger can turn into accusations, with a person's livelihood at stake. A further tale opens with village choir members planning an outing to the Crystal Palace and one young man's resentment of the choice. Written for young readers, these stories offer a plain account of everyday judgments, pride and the need to consider what another person may be carrying.