the ragged trousered philanthropists-第60章

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n　many　instances　bore　unmistakable　signs　of　drunkenness　and　gluttony。　　Some　of　the　females　had　tried　to　conceal　the　ravages　of　vice　and　dissipation　by　coating　their　faces　with　powder　and　paint。　　Mingling　with　and　part　of　this　crowd　were　a　number　of　well…fed…looking　individuals　dressed　in　long　garments　of　black　cloth　of　the　finest　texture；　and　broad…brimmed　soft　felt　hats。　　Most　of　these　persons　had　gold　rings　on　their　soft　white　fingers　and　glove…like　kid　or　calfskin　boots　on　their　feet。　　They　belonged　to　the　great　army　of　imposters　who　obtain　an　easy　living　by　taking　advantage　of　the　ignorance　and　simplicity　of　their　fellow…men；　and　pretending　to　be　the　‘followers'　and　‘servants'　of　the　lowly　Carpenter　of　Nazareth　…　the　Man　of　Sorrows；　who　had　not　where　to　lay　His　head。

None　of　these　black…garbed　‘disciples'　were　associating　with　the　groups　of　unemployed　carpenters；　bricklayers；　plasterers；　and　painters　who　stood　here　and　there　in　the　carriage…way　dressed　in　mean　and　shabby　clothing　and　with　faces　pale　with　privation。　　Many　of　these　latter　were　known　to　our　friends　with　the　cart；　and　nodded　to　them　as　they　passed。　　Now　and　then　some　of　them　came　over　and　walked　a　little　distance　by　their　side；　inquiring　whether　there　was　any　news　of　another　job　at　Rushton's。

When　they　were　about　half…way　down　the　Parade；　just　near　the　Fountain；　Crass　and　his　mates　encountered　a　number　of　men　on　whose　arms　were　white　bands　with　the　word　‘Collector'　in　black　letters。　　They　carried　collecting　boxes　and　accosted　the　people　in　the　street；　begging　for　money　for　the　unemployed。　　These　men　were　a　kind　of　skirmishers　for　the　main　body；　which　could　be　seen　some　distance　behind。

As　the　procession　drew　near；　Sawkins　steered　the　cart　into　the　kerb　and　halted　as　they　went　past。　　There　were　about　three　hundred　men　altogether；　marching　four　abreast。　　They　carried　three　large　white　banners　with　black　letters；　‘Thanks　to　our　Subscribers'　‘In　aid　of　Genuine　Unemployed'；　‘The　Children　must　be　Fed'。　　Although　there　were　a　number　of　artisans　in　the　procession；　the　majority　of　the　men　belonged　to　what　is　called　the　unskilled　labourer　class。　　The　skilled　artisan　does　not　as　a　rule　take　part　in　such　a　procession　except　as　a　very　last　resource　。。。　　And　all　the　time　he　strives　to　keep　up　an　appearance　of　being　well…to…do；　and　would　be　highly　indignant　if　anyone　suggested　that　he　was　really　in　a　condition　of　abject；　miserable　poverty。　　Although　he　knows　that　his　children　are　often　not　so　well　fed　as　are　the　pet　dogs　and　cats　of　his　‘betters'；　he　tries　to　bluff　his　neighbours　into　thinking　that　he　has　some　mysterious　private　means　of　which　they　know　nothing；　and　conceals　his　poverty　as　if　it　were　a　crime。　　Most　of　this　class　of　men　would　rather　starve　than　beg。　Consequently　not　more　than　a　quarter　of　the　men　in　the　procession　were　skilled　artisans；　the　majority　were　labourers。

There　was　also　a　sprinkling　of　those　unfortunate　outcasts　of　society　…　tramps　and　destitute；　drunken　loafers。　　If　the　self…righteous　hypocrites　who　despise　these　poor　wretches　had　been　subjected　to　the　same　conditions；　the　majority　of　them　would　inevitably　have　become　the　same　as　these。

Haggard　and　pale；　shabbily　or　raggedly　dressed；　their　boots　broken　and　down　at　heel；　they　slouched　past。　　Some　of　them　stared　about　with　a　dazed　or　half…wild　expression；　but　most　of　them　walked　with　downcast　eyes　or　staring　blankly　straight　in　front　of　them。　　They　appeared　utterly　broken…spirited；　hopeless　and　ashamed　。。。

‘Anyone　can　see　what　THEY　are；'　sneered　Crass；　‘there　isn't　fifty　genuine　tradesmen　in　the　whole　crowd；　and　most　of　'em　wouldn't　work　if　they　'ad　the　offer　of　it。'

‘That's　just　what　I　was　thinkin'；'　agreed　Sawkins　with　a　laugh。

‘There　will　be　plenty　of　time　to　say　that　when　they　have　been　offered　work　and　have　refused　to　do　it；'　said　Owen。

‘This　sort　of　thing　does　the　town　a　lot　of　'arm；'　remarked　Slyme；　‘it　oughtn't　to　be　allowed；　the　police　ought　to　stop　it。　　It's　enough　to　drive　all　the　gentry　out　of　the　place！'

‘Bloody　disgraceful；　I　call　it；'　said　Crass；　‘marchin'　along　the　Grand　Parade　on　a　beautiful　day　like　this；　just　at　the　very　time　when　most　of　the　gentry　is　out　enjoyin'　the　fresh　hair。'

‘I　suppose　you　think　they　ought　to　stay　at　home　and　starve　quietly；'　said　Owen。　　‘I　don't　see　why　these　men　should　care　what　harm　they　do　to　the　town；　the　town　doesn't　seem　to　care　much　what　becomes　of　THEM。'

‘Do　you　believe　in　this　sort　of　thing；　then？'　asked　Slyme。

‘No；　certainly　not。　　I　don't　believe　in　begging　as　a　favour　for　what　one　is　entitled　to　demand　as　a　right　from　the　thieves　who　have　robbed　them　and　who　are　now　enjoying　the　fruits　of　their　labour。　　From　the　look　of　shame　on　their　faces　you　might　think　that　they　were　the　criminals　instead　of　being　the　victims。'

‘Well　you　must　admit　that　most　of　them　is　very　inferior　men；'　said　Crass　with　a　self…satisfied　air。　　‘There's　very　few　mechanics　amongst　em。'

‘What　about　it　if　they　are？　　What　difference　does　that　make？'　replied　Owen。　　‘They're　human　beings；　and　they　have　as　much　right　to　live　as　anyone　else。　　What　is　called　unskilled　labour　is　just　as　necessary　and　useful　as　yours　or　mine。　　I　am　no　more　capable　of　doing　the　〃unskilled〃　labour　that　most　of　these　men　do　than　most　of　them　would　be　capable　of　doing　my　work。'

‘Well；　if　they　was　skilled　tradesmen；　they　might　find　it　easier　to　get　a　job；'　said　Crass。

Owen　laughed　offensively。

‘Do　you　mean　to　say　you　think　that　if　all　these　men　could　be　transformed　into　skilled　carpenters；　plasterers；　bricklayers；　and　painters；　that　it　would　be　easier　for　all　those　other　chaps　whom　we　passed　a　little　while　ago　to　get　work？　　Is　it　possible　that　you　or　any　other　sane　man　can　believe　anything　so　silly　as　that？'

Crass　did　not　reply。

‘If　there　is　not　enough　work　to　employ　all　the　mechanics　whom　we　see　standing　idle　about　the　streets；　how　would　it　help　these　labourers　in　the　procession　if　they　could　all　become　skilled　workmen？'

Still　Crass　did　not　answer；　and　neither　Slyme　nor　Sawkins　came　to　his　assistance。

‘If　that　could　be　done；'　continued　Owen；　‘it　would　simply　make　things　worse　for　those　who　are　already　skilled　mechanics。　　A　greater　number　of　skilled　workers　…　keener　competition　for　skilled　workmen's　jobs　…　a　larger　number　of　mechanics　out　of　employment；　and　consequently；　improved　opportunities　for　employers　to　reduce　wages。　　That　is　probably　the　reason　why　the　Liberal　Party　…　which　consists　for　the　most　part　of　exploiters　of　labour　…　procured　the　great　Jim　Scalds　to　tell　us　that　improved　technical　education　is　the　remedy　for　unemployment　and　poverty。'

‘I　suppose　you　think　Jim　Scalds　is　a　bloody　fool；　the　same　as　everybody　else　what　don't　see　things　YOUR　way？'　said　Sawkins。

‘I　should　think　he　was　a　fool　if　I　thought　he　believed　what　he　says。　But　I　don't　think　he　believes　it。　　He　says　it　because　he　thinks　the　majority　of　the　working　classes　are　such　fools　that　they　will　believe　him。　　If　he　didn't　think　that　most　of　us　are　fools　he　wouldn't　tell　us　such　a　yarn　as　that。'

‘And　I　suppose　you　think　as　'is　opinion　ain't　far　wrong；'　snarled　Crass。

‘We　shall　be　better　able　to　judge　of　that　after　the　next　General　Election；'　replied　Owen。　　‘If　the　working　classes　again　elect　a　majority　of　Liberal　or　Tory　landlords　and　employers　to　rule　over　them；　it　will　prove　that　Jim　Scalds'　estimate　of　their　intelligence　is　about　right。'

‘Well；　anyhow；'　persisted　Slyme；　‘I　don't　think　it's　a　right　thing　that　they　should　be　allowed　to　go　marchin'　about　like　that　…　driving　visitors　out　of　the　town。'

‘What　do　you　think　they　ought　to　do；　then？'　demanded　Owen。

‘Let　the　brs　go　to　the　bloody　workhouse！'　shouted　Crass。

‘But　before　they　could　be　received　there　they　would　have　to　be　absolutely　homeless　and　destitute；　and　then　the　ratepayers　would　have　to　keep　them。　　It　costs　about　twelve　shillings　a　week　for　each　inmate；　so　it　seems　to　me　that　it　would　be　more　sensible　and　economical　for　the　community　to　employ　them　on　some　productive　work。'

They　had　by　this　time　arrived　at　the　yard。　　The　steps　and　ladders　were　put　away　in　their　places　and　the　dirty　paint…pots　and　pails　were　placed　in　the　paint…shop　on　the　bench　and　on　the　floor。　　With　what　had　previously　been　brought　back　there　were　a　great　many　of　these　things；　all　needing　to　be　cleaned　out；　so　Bert　at　any　rate　stood　in　no　danger　of　being　out　of　employment　for　some　time　to　come。

When　they　were　paid　at　the　office；　Owen　on　opening　his　envelope　found　it　contained　as　usual；　a　time　sheet　for　the　next　week；　which　meant　that　he　was　not　‘stood　off'　although　he　did　not　know　what　work　there　would　be　to　do。　　Crass　and　Slyme　were　both　to　go　to　the　‘Cave'　to　fix　the　venetian　blinds；　and　Sawkins　also　was　to　come　to　work　as　usual。



Chapter　28

The　Week　before　Christmas


During　the　next　week　Owen　painted　a　sign　on　the　outer　wall　of　one　of　the　workshops　at　the　yard；　and　he　also　wrote　the　name　of　the　firm　on　three　of　the　handcarts。

These　and　other　odd　jobs　kept　him　employed　a　few　hours　every　day；　so　that　he　was　not　actually　out　of　work。

One　afternoon　…　there　being　nothing　to　do　…　he　went　home　at　three　o'clock；　but　almost　as　soon　as　he　reached　the　house　Bert　White　came　with　a　coffin…plate　which　had　to　be　written　at　once。　　The　lad　said　he　had　been　instructed　to　wait　for　it。

Nora　gave　the　boy　some　tea　and　bread　and　butter　to　eat　whilst　Owen　was　doing　the　coffin…plate；　and　presently　Frankie　…　who　had　been　playing　out　in　the　street　…　made　his　appearance。　　The　two　boys　were　already　known　to　each　other；　for　Bert　had　been　there　several　times　before　…　on　errands　similar　to　the　present　one；　or　to　take　lessons　on　graining　and　letter…painting　from　Owen。

‘I'm　going　to　have　a　party　next　Monday　…　after　Christmas；'　remarked　Frankie。　　‘Mother　told　me　I　might　ask　you　if　you'll　come？'

‘All　right；'　said　Bert；　‘and　I'll　bring　my　Pandoramer。'

‘What　is　it？　　Is　it　alive？'　asked　Frankie　with　a　puzzled　look。

‘Alive！　　No；　of　course　not；'　replied　Bert　with　a　superior　air。　　‘It's　a　show；　like　they　have　at　the　Hippodrome　or　the　Circus。'

‘How　big　is　it？'

‘Not　very　big：　it's　made　out　of　a　sugar…box。　　I　made　it　myself。　　It's　not　quite　finished　yet；　but　I　shall　get　it　done　this　week。　　There's　a　band　as　well；　you　know。　　I　do　that　part　with　this。'

‘This'　was　a　large　mouth　organ　which　he　produced　from　the　inner　pocket　of　his　coat。

‘Play　something　now。'

Bert　accordingly　played；　and　Frankie　sang　at　the　top　of　his　voice　a　selection　of　popular　songs；　including　‘The　Old　Bull　and　Bush'；　‘Has　Anyone　seen　a　German　Band？'；　‘Waiting　at　the　Church'　and　finally　…　possibly　as　a　dirge　for　the　individual　whose　coffin…plate　Owen　was　writing　…　‘Goodbye；　Mignonette'　and　‘I　wouldn't　leave　my　little　wooden　hut　for　you'。

‘You　don't　know　what's　in　that；'　said　Frankie；　referring　to　a　large　earthenware　bread…pan　which　Nora　had　just　asked　Owen　to　help　her　to　lift　from　the　floor　on　to　one　of　the　chairs。　　The　vessel　in　question　was　covered　with　a　clean　white　cloth。

‘Christmas　pudding；'　replied　Bert；　promptly。

‘Guessed　right　first　time！'　cried　Frankie。　　‘We　got　the　things　out　of　the　Christmas　Club　on　Saturday。　　We've　been　paying　in　ever　since　last　Christmas。　　We're　going　to　mix　it　now；　and　you　can　have　a　stir　too　if　you　like；　for　luck。'

Whi