the ragged trousered philanthropists-第39章

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etired　tradesmen。　　In　the　opinion　of　the　inhabitants　of　Mugsborough；　the　fact　that　a　man　had　succeeded　in　accumulating　money　in　business　was　a　clear　demonstration　of　his　fitness　to　be　entrusted　with　the　business　of　the　town。

Consequently；　when　that　very　able　and　successful　man　of　business　Mr　George　Rushton　was　put　up　for　election　to　the　Council　he　was　returned　by　a　large　majority　of　the　votes　of　the　working　men　who　thought　him　an　ideal　personage　。。。

These　Brigands　did　just　as　they　pleased。　　No　one　ever　interfered　with　them。　　They　never　consulted　the　ratepayers　in　any　way。　　Even　at　election　time　they　did　not　trouble　to　hold　meetings：　each　one　of　them　just　issued　a　kind　of　manifesto　setting　forth　his　many　noble　qualities　and　calling　upon　the　people　for　their　votes：　and　the　latter　never　failed　to　respond。　　They　elected　the　same　old　crew　time　after　time　。。。

The　Brigands　committed　their　depredations　almost　unhindered；　for　the　voters　were　engaged　in　the　Battle　of　Life。　　Take　the　public　park　for　instance。　　Like　so　many　swine　around　a　trough　…　they　were　so　busily　engaged　in　this　battle　that　most　of　them　had　no　time　to　go　to　the　park；　or　they　might　have　noticed　that　there　were　not　so　many　costly　plants　there　as　there　should　have　been。　　And　if　they　had　inquired　further　they　would　have　discovered　that　nearly　all　the　members　of　the　Town　Council　had　very　fine　gardens。　　There　was　reason　for　these　gardens　being　so　grand；　for　the　public　park　was　systematically　robbed　of　its　best　to　make　them　so。

There　was　a　lake　in　the　park　where　large　numbers　of　ducks　and　geese　were　kept　at　the　ratepayers'　expense。　　In　addition　to　the　food　provided　for　these　fowl　with　public　money；　visitors　to　the　park　used　to　bring　them　bags　of　biscuits　and　bread　crusts。　　When　the　ducks　and　geese　were　nicely　fattened　the　Brigands　used　to　carry　them　off　and　devour　them　at　home。　　When　they　became　tired　of　eating　duck　or　goose；　some　of　the　Councillors　made　arrangements　with　certain　butchers　and　traded　away　the　birds　for　meat。

One　of　the　most　energetic　members　of　the　Band　was　Mr　Jeremiah　Didlum；　the　house…furnisher；　who　did　a　large　hire　system　trade。　　He　had　an　extensive　stock　of　second…hand　furniture　that　he　had　resumed　possession　of　when　the　unfortunate　would…be　purchasers　failed　to　pay　the　instalments　regularly。　　Other　of　the　second…hand　things　had　been　purchased　for　a　fraction　of　their　real　value　at　Sheriff's　sales　or　from　people　whom　misfortune　or　want　of　employment　had　reduced　to　the　necessity　of　selling　their　household　possessions。

Another　notable　member　of　the　Band　was　Mr　Amos　Grinder；　who　had　practically　monopolized　the　greengrocery　trade　and　now　owned　nearly　all　the　fruiterers'　shops　in　the　town。　　As　for　the　other　shops；　if　they　did　not　buy　their　stocks　from　him　…　or；　rather；　the　company　of　which　he　was　managing　director　and　principal　shareholder　…　if　these　other　fruiterers　and　greengrocers　did　not　buy　their　stuff　from　his　company；　he　tried　to　smash　them　by　opening　branches　in　their　immediate　neighbourhood　and　selling　below　cost。　　He　was　a　self…made　man：　an　example　of　what　may　be　accomplished　by　cunning　and　selfishness。

Then　there　was　the　Chief　of　the　Band　…　Mr　Adam　Sweater；　the　Mayor。　　He　was　always　the　Chief；　although　he　was　not　always　Mayor；　it　being　the　rule　that　the　latter　‘honour'　should　be　enjoyed　by　all　the　members　of　the　Band　in　turn。　　A　bright　‘honour'；　forsooth！　to　be　the　first　citizen　in　a　community　composed　for　the　most　part　of　ignorant　semi…imbeciles；　slaves；　slave…drivers　and　psalm…singing　hypocrites。　Mr　Sweater　was　the　managing　director　and　principal　shareholder　of　a　large　drapery　business　in　which　he　had　amassed　a　considerable　fortune。　This　was　not　very　surprising；　considering　that　he　paid　none　of　his　workpeople　fair　wages　and　many　of　them　no　wages　at　all。　　He　employed　a　great　number　of　girls　and　young　women　who　were　supposed　to　be　learning　dressmaking；　mantle…making　or　millinery。　　These　were　all　indentured　apprentices；　some　of　whom　had　paid　premiums　of　from　five　to　ten　pounds。　　They　were　‘bound'　for　three　years。　　For　the　first　two　years　they　received　no　wages：　the　third　year　they　got　a　shilling　or　eightpence　a　week。　　At　the　end　of　the　third　year　they　usually　got　the　sack；　unless　they　were　willing　to　stay　on　as　improvers　at　from　three　shillings　to　four　and　sixpence　per　week。

They　worked　from　half　past　eight　in　the　morning　till　eight　at　night；　with　an　interval　of　an　hour　for　dinner；　and　at　half　past　four　they　ceased　work　for　fifteen　minutes　for　tea。　　This　was　provided　by　the　firm　…　half　a　pint　for　each　girl；　but　they　had　to　bring　their　own　milk　and　sugar　and　bread　and　butter。

Few　of　the　girls　ever　learned　their　trades　thoroughly。　　Some　were　taught　to　make　sleeves；　others　cuffs　or　button…holes；　and　so　on。　　The　result　was　that　in　a　short　time　each　one　became　very　expert　and　quick　at　one　thing；　and　although　their　proficiency　in　this　one　thing　would　never　enable　them　to　earn　a　decent　living；　it　enabled　Mr　Sweater　to　make　money　during　the　period　of　their　apprenticeship；　and　that　was　all　he　cared　about。

Occasionally　a　girl　of　intelligence　and　spirit　would　insist　on　the　fulfilment　of　the　terms　of　her　indentures；　and　sometimes　the　parents　would　protest。　　If　this　were　persisted　in　those　girls　got　on　better：　but　even　these　were　turned　to　good　account　by　the　wily　Sweater；　who　induced　the　best　of　them　to　remain　after　their　time　was　up　by　paying　them　what　appeared　…　by　contrast　with　the　others　girls'　money　…　good　wages；　sometimes　even　seven　or　eight　shillings　a　week！　and　liberal　promises　of　future　advancement。　　These　girls　then　became　a　sort　of　reserve　who　could　be　called　up　to　crush　any　manifestation　of　discontent　on　the　part　of　the　leading　hands。

The　greater　number　of　the　girls；　however；　submitted　tamely　to　the　conditions　imposed　upon　them。　　They　were　too　young　to　realize　the　wrong　that　was　being　done　them。　　As　for　their　parents；　it　never　occurred　to　them　to　doubt　the　sincerity　of　so　good　a　man　as　Mr　Sweater；　who　was　always　prominent　in　every　good　and　charitable　work。

At　the　expiration　of　the　girl's　apprenticeship；　if　the　parents　complained　of　her　want　of　proficiency；　the　pious　Sweater　would　attribute　it　to　idleness　or　incapacity；　and　as　the　people　were　generally　poor　he　seldom　or　never　had　any　trouble　with　them。　　This　was　how　he　fulfilled　the　unctuous　promise　made　to　the　confiding　parents　at　the　time　the　girl　was　handed　over　to　his　tender　mercy　…　that　he　would　‘make　a　woman　of　her'。

This　method　of　obtaining　labour　by　false　pretences　and　without　payment；　which　enabled　him　to　produce　costly　articles　for　a　mere　fraction　of　the　price　for　which　they　were　eventually　sold；　was　adopted　in　other　departments　of　his　business。　　He　procured　shop　assistants　of　both　sexes　on　the　same　terms。　　A　youth　was　indentured；　usually　for　five　years；　to　be　‘Made　a　Man　of　and　‘Turned　out　fit　to　take　a　Position　in　any　House'。　　If　possible；　a　premium；　five；　ten；　or　twenty　pounds　…　according　to　their　circumstances　…　would　be　extracted　from　the　parents。　　For　the　first　three　years；　no　wages：　after　that；　perhaps　two　or　three　shillings　a　week。

At　the　end　of　the　five　years　the　work　of　‘Making　a　Man　of　him'　would　be　completed。　　Mr　Sweater　would　then　congratulate　him　and　assure　him　that　he　was　qualified　to　assume　a　‘position'　in　any　House　but　regret　that　there　was　no　longer　any　room　for　him　in　his。　　Business　was　so　bad。　　Still；　if　the　Man　wished　he　might　stay　on　until　he　secured　a　better　‘position'　and；　as　a　matter　of　generosity；　although　he　did　not　really　need　the　Man's　services；　he　would　pay　him　ten　shillings　per　week！

Provided　he　was　not　addicted　to　drinking；　smoking；　gambling　or　the　Stock　Exchange；　or　going　to　theatres；　the　young　man's　future　was　thus　assured。　　Even　if　he　were　unsuccessful　in　his　efforts　to　obtain　another　position　he　could　save　a　portion　of　his　salary　and　eventually　commence　business　on　his　own　account。

However；　the　branch　of　Mr　Sweater's　business　to　which　it　is　desired　to　especially　direct　the　reader's　attention　was　the　Homeworkers　Department。　　He　employed　a　large　number　of　women　making　ladies'　blouses；　fancy　aprons　and　children's　pinafores。　　Most　of　these　articles　were　disposed　of　wholesale　in　London　and　elsewhere；　but　some　were　retailed　at　‘Sweaters'　Emporium'　in　Mugsborough　and　at　the　firm's　other　retail　establishments　throughout　the　county。　　Many　of　the　women　workers　were　widows　with　children；　who　were　glad　to　obtain　any　employment　that　did　not　take　hem　away　from　their　homes　and　families。

The　blouses　were　paid　for　at　tie　rate　of　from　two　shillings　to　five　shillings　a　dozen；　the　women　having　to　provide　their　own　machine　and　cotton；　besides　calling　for　and　delivering　the　work。　　These　poor　women　were　able　to　clear　from　six　to　eight　shillings　a　week：　and　to　earn　even　that　they　had　to　work　almost　incessantly　for　fourteen　or　sixteen　hours　a　day。　　There　was　no　time　for　cooling　and　very　little　to　cook；　for　they　lived　principally　on　bread　and　margarine　and　tea。　　Their　homes　were　squalid；　their　children　half…starved　and　raggedly　clothed　in　grotesque　garments　hastily　fashioned　out　of　the　cast…off　clothes　of　charitable　neighbours。

But　it　was　not　in　vain　that　these　women　toiled　every　weary　day　until　exhaustion　compelled　them　to　case。　　It　was　not　in　vain　that　they　passed　their　cheerless　lives　bending　with　aching　shoulders　over　the　thankless　work　that　barely　brought　them　bread。　　It　was　not　in　vain　that　they　and　their　children　went　famished　and　in　rags；　for　after　all；　the　principal　object　of　their　labour　was　accomplished：　the　Good　Cause　was　advanced。　　Mr　Sweater　waxed　rich　and　increased　in　goods　and　respectability。

Of　course；　none　of　those　women　were　COMPELLED　to　engage　in　that　glorious　cause。　　No　one　is　compelled　to　accept　any　particular　set　of　conditions　in　a　free　country　like　this。　　Mr　Trafaim　…　the　manager　of　Sweater's　Homework　Department　…　always　put　the　matter　before　them　in　the　plainest；　fairest　possible　way。　　There　was　the　work：　that　was　the　figure！　　And　those　who　didn't　like　it　could　leave　it。　　There　was　no　compulsion。

Sometimes　some　perverse　creature　belonging　to　that　numerous　class　who　are　too　lazy　to　work　DID　leave　it！　　But　as　the　manager　said；　there　were　plenty　of　others　who　were　only　too　glad　to　take　it。　　In　fact；　such　was　the　enthusiasm　amongst　these　women　…　especially　such　of　them　as　had　little　children　to　provide　for　…　and　such　was　their　zeal　for　the　Cause；　that　some　of　them　have　been　known　to　positively　beg　to　be　allowed　to　work！

By　these　and　similar　means　Adam　Sweater　had　contrived　to　lay　up　for　himself　a　large　amount　of　treasure　upon　earth；　besides　attaining　undoubted　respectability；　for　that　he　was　respectable　no　one　questioned。　　He　went　to　chapel　twice　every　Sunday；　his　obese　figure　arrayed　in　costly　apparel；　consisting　…　with　other　things　…　of　grey　trousers；　a　long　garment　called　a　frock…coat；　a　tall　silk　hat；　a　quantity　of　jewellery　and　a　morocco…bound　gilt…edged　Bible。　　He　was　an　official　of　some　sort　of　the　Shining　Light　Chapel。　　His　name　appeared　in　nearly　every　published　list　of　charitable　subscriptions。　　No　starving　wretch　had　ever　appealed　to　him　in　vain　for　a　penny　soup　ticket。

Small　wonder　that　when　this　good　and　public…spirited　man　offered　his　services　to　the　town　…　free　of　charge　…　the　intelligent　working　men　o