the ragged trousered philanthropists-第65章

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course　you'll　see　that　the　Obscurer　backs　us　up。'

‘I'll　take　care　of　that；'　said　Grinder；　grimly。

The　three　local　papers　were　run　by　limited　companies。　　Sweater　held　nearly　all　the　shares　of　the　Ananias　and　of　the　Weekly　Chloroform；　and　controlled　their　policy　and　contents。　　Grinder　occupied　the　same　position　with　regard　to　the　Obscurer。　　The　editors　were　a　sort　of　marionettes　who　danced　as　Sweater　and　Grinder　pulled　the　strings。

‘I　wonder　how　Dr　Weakling　will　take　it？'　remarked　Rushton。

‘That's　the　very　thing　I　was　just　thinkin'　about；'　cried　Didlum。　‘Don't　you　think　it　would　be　a　good　plan　if　we　could　arrange　to　'ave　somebody　took　bad　…　you　know；　fall　down　in　a　fit　or　something　in　the　street　just　outside　the　Town　'All　just　before　the　matter　is　brought　forward　in　the　Council；　and　then　'ave　someone　to　come　and　call　'im　out　to　attend　to　the　party　wot's　ill；　and　keep　'im　out　till　the　business　is　done。'

‘Yes；　that's　a　capital　idear；'　said　Grinder　thoughtfully。　　‘But　who　could　we　get　to　'ave　the　fit？　　It　would　'ave　to　be　someone　we　could　trust；　you　know。'

‘'Ow　about　Rushton？　　You　wouldn't　mind　doin'　it；　would　yer？'　inquired　Didlum。

‘I　should　strongly　object；'　said　Rushton　haughtily。　　He　regarded　the　suggestion　that　he　should　act　such　an　undignified　part；　as　a　kind　of　sacrilege。

‘Then　I'll　do　it　meself　if　necessary；'　said　Didlum。　　‘I'm　not　proud　when　there's　money　to　be　made；　anything　for　an　honest　living。'

‘Well；　I　think　we're　all　agreed；　so　far；'　remarked　Sweater。　　The　others　signified　assent。

‘And　I　think　we　all　deserve　a　drink；'　the　Chief　continued；　producing　a　decanter　and　a　box　of　cigars　from　a　cupboard　by　the　side　of　his　desk。　‘Pass　that　water　bottle　from　behind　you；　Didlum。'

‘I　suppose　nobody　won't　be　comin'　in？'　said　the　latter；　anxiously。　‘I'm　a　teetotaler；　you　know。'

‘Oh；　it's　all　right；'　said　Sweater；　taking　four　glasses　out　of　the　cupboard　and　pouring　out　the　whisky。　　‘I've　given　orders　that　we're　not　to　be　disturbed　for　anyone。　　Say　when。'

‘Well；　'ere's　success　to　Socialism；'　cried　Grinder；　raising　his　glass；　and　taking　a　big　drink。

‘Amen　…　'ear；　'ear；　I　mean；'　said　Didlum；　hastily　correcting　himself。

‘Wot　I　likes　about　this　'ere　business　is　that　we're　not　only　doin'　ourselves　a　bit　of　good；'　continued　Grinder　with　a　laugh；　‘we're　not　only　doin'　ourselves　a　bit　of　good；　but　we're　likewise　doin'　the　Socialists　a　lot　of　'arm。　　When　the　ratepayers　'ave　bought　the　Works；　and　they　begins　to　kick　up　a　row　because　they're　losin'　money　over　it　…　we　can　tell　'em　that　it's　Socialism！　　And　then　they'll　say　that　if　that's　Socialism　they　don't　want　no　more　of　it。'

The　other　brigands　laughed　gleefully；　and　some　of　Didlum's　whisky　went　down　the　wrong　way　and　nearly　sent　him　into　a　fit。

‘You　might　as　well　kill　a　man　at　once；'　he　protested　as　he　wiped　the　tears　from　his　eyes；　‘you　might　as　well　kill　a　man　at　once　as　choke　'im　to　death。'

‘And　now　I've　got　a　bit　of　good　news　for　you；'　said　the　Chief　as　he　put　his　empty　glass　down。

The　others　became　serious　at　once。

‘Although　we've　had　a　very　rough　time　of　it　in　our　contest　with　the　Gasworks　Company；　and　although　we've　got　the　worst　of　it；　it　hasn't　been　all　lavender　for　them；　you　know。　　They've　not　enjoyed　themselves　either：　we　hit　them　pretty　hard　when　we　put　up　the　coal　dues。'

‘A　damn　good　job　too；'　said　Grinder　malignantly。

‘Well；'　continued　Sweater；　‘they're　just　as　sick　of　the　fight　as　they　want　to　be；　because　of　course　they　don't　know　exactly　how　badly　we've　been　hit。　　For　all　they　know；　we　could　have　continued　the　struggle　indefinitely：　and　…　well；　to　make　a　long　story　short；　I've　had　a　talk　with　the　managing　director　and　one　or　two　others；　and　they're　willing　to　let　us　in　with　them。　　So　that　we　can　put　the　money　we　get　for　the　Electric　Light　Works　into　gas　shares！'

This　was　such　splendid　news　that　they　had　another　drink　on　the　strength　of　it；　and　Didlum　said　that　one　of　the　first　things　they　would　have　to　do　would　be　to　totally　abolish　the　Coal　Dues；　because　they　pressed　so　hard　on　the　poor。



Chapter　31

The　Deserter


About　the　end　of　January；　Slyme　left　Easton's。　　The　latter　had　not　succeeded　in　getting　anything　to　do　since　the　work　at　‘The　Cave'　was　finished；　and　latterly　the　quality　of　the　food　had　been　falling　off。　The　twelve　shillings　Slyme　paid　for　his　board　and　lodging　was　all　that　Ruth　had　to　keep　house　with。　　She　had　tried　to　get　some　work　to　do　herself；　but　generally　without　success；　there　were　one　or　two　jobs　that　she　might　have　had　if　she　had　been　able　to　give　her　whole　time　to　them；　but　of　course　that　was　not　possible；　the　child　and　the　housework　had　to　be　attended　to；　and　Slyme's　meals　had　to　be　prepared。　Nevertheless；　she　contrived　to　get　away　several　times　when　she　had　a　chance　of　earning　a　few　shillings　by　doing　a　day's　charing　for　some　lady　or　other；　and　then　she　left　everything　in　such　order　at　home　that　Easton　was　able　to　manage　all　right　while　she　was　away。　　On　these　occasions；　she　usually　left　the　baby　with　Owen's　wife；　who　was　an　old　schoolmate　of　hers。　　Nora　was　the　more　willing　to　render　her　this　service　because　Frankie　used　to　be　so　highly　delighted　whenever　it　happened。　　He　never　tired　of　playing　with　the　child；　and　for　several　days　afterwards　he　used　to　worry　his　mother　with　entreaties　to　buy　a　baby　of　their　own。

Easton　earned　a　few　shillings　occasionally；　now　and　then　he　got　a　job　to　clean　windows；　and　once　or　twice　he　did　a　few　days'　or　hours'　work　with　some　other　painter　who　had　been　fortunate　enough　to　get　a　little　job　‘on　his　own'　…　such　as　a　ceiling　to　wash　and　whiten；　or　a　room　or　two　to　paint；　but　such　jobs　were　few。

Sometimes；　when　they　were　very　hard　up；　they　sold　something；　the　Bible　that　used　to　lie　on　the　little　table　in　the　bay　window　was　one　of　the　first　things　to　be　parted　with。　　Ruth　erased　the　inscription　from　the　fly…leaf　and　then　they　sold　the　book　at　a　second…hand　shop　for　two　shillings。　　As　time　went　on；　they　sold　nearly　everything　that　was　saleable；　except　of　course；　the　things　that　were　obtained　on　the　hire　system。

Slyme　could　see　that　they　were　getting　very　much　into　debt　and　behind　with　the　rent；　and　on　two　occasions　already　Easton　had　borrowed　five　shillings　from　him；　which　he　might　never　be　able　to　pay　back。　　Another　thing　was　that　Slyme　was　always　in　fear　that　Ruth　…　who　had　never　wholly　abandoned　herself　to　wrongdoing　…　might　tell　Easton　what　had　happened；　more　than　once　she　had　talked　of　doing　so；　and　the　principal　reason　why　she　refrained　was　that　she　knew　that　even　if　he　forgave　her；　he　could　never　think　the　same　of　her　as　before。　　Slyme　repeatedly　urged　this　view　upon　her；　pointing　out　that　no　good　could　result　from　such　a　confession。

Latterly　the　house　had　become　very　uncomfortable。　　It　was　not　only　that　the　food　was　bad　and　that　sometimes　there　was　no　fire；　but　Ruth　and　Easton　were　nearly　always　quarrelling　about　something　or　other。　She　scarcely　spoke　to　Slyme　at　all；　and　avoided　sitting　at　the　table　with　him　whenever　possible。　　He　was　in　constant　dread　that　Easton　might　notice　her　manner　towards　him；　and　seek　for　some　explanation。　Altogether　the　situation　was　so　unpleasant　that　Slyme　determined　to　clear　out。　　He　made　the　excuse　that　he　had　been　offered　a　few　weeks'　work　at　a　place　some　little　distance　outside　the　town。　　After　he　was　gone　they　lived　for　several　weeks　in　semi…starvation　on　what　credit　they　could　get　and　by　selling　the　furniture　or　anything　else　they　possessed　that　could　be　turned　into　money。　　The　things　out　of　Slyme's　room　were　sold　almost　directly　he　left。



Chapter　32

The　Veteran


Old　Jack　Linden　had　tried　hard　to　earn　a　little　money　by　selling　bloaters；　but　they　often　went　bad；　and　even　when　he　managed　to　sell　them　all　the　profit　was　so　slight　that　it　was　not　worth　doing。

Before　the　work　at　‘The　Cave'　was　finished；　Philpot　was　a　good　friend　to　them；　he　frequently　gave　old　Jack　sixpence　or　a　shilling　and　often　brought　a　bag　off　cakes　or　buns　for　the　children。　　Sometimes　he　came　to　tea　with　them　on　Sundays　as　an　excuse　for　bringing　a　tin　of　salmon。

Elsie　and　Charley　frequently　went　to　Owen's　house　to　take　tea　with　Frankie；　in　fact；　whilst　Owen　had　anything　to　do；　they　almost　lived　there；　for　both　Owen　and　Nora；　knowing　that　the　Lindens　had　nothing　to　live　on　except　the　earnings　of　the　young　woman；　encouraged　the　children　to　come　often。

Old　Jack　made　some　hopeless　attempts　to　get　work　…　work　of　any　kind；　but　nobody　wanted　him；　and　to　make　things　worse；　his　eyesight；　which　had　been　failing　for　a　long　time；　became　very　bad。　　Once　he　was　given　a　job　by　a　big　provision　firm　to　carry　an　advertisement　about　the　streets。　　The　man　who　had　been　carrying　it　before　…　an　old　soldier　…　had　been　sacked　the　previous　day　for　getting　drunk　while　on　duty。　　The　advertisement　was　not　an　ordinary　pair　of　sandwich　boards；　but　a　sort　of　box　without　any　bottom　or　lid；　a　wooden　frame；　four　sides　covered　with　canvas；　an　which　were　pasted　printed　bills　advertising　margarine。　Each　side　of　this　box　or　frame　was　rather　larger　than　an　ordinary　sandwich　board。

Old　Linden　had　to　get　inside　this　thing　and　carry　it　about　the　streets；　two　straps　fixed　across　the　top　of　the　frame　and　passing　one　over　each　of　his　shoulders　enabled　him　to　carry　it。　　It　swayed　about　a　good　deal　as　he　walked　along；　especially　when　the　wind　caught　it；　but　there　were　two　handles　inside　to　hold　it　steady　by。　　The　pay　was　eighteenpence　a　day；　and　he　had　to　travel　a　certain　route；　up　and　down　the　busiest　streets。

At　first　the　frame　did　not　feel　very　heavy；　but　the　weight　seemed　to　increase　as　the　time　went　on；　and　the　straps　hurt　his　shoulders。　　He　felt　very　much　ashamed；　also；　whenever　he　encountered　any　of　his　old　mates；　some　of　whom　laughed　at　him。

In　consequence　of　the　frame　requiring　so　much　attention　to　keep　it　steady；　and　being　unused　to　the　work；　and　his　sight　so　bad；　he　several　times　narrowly　escaped　being　run　over。　　Another　thing　that　added　to　his　embarrassment　was　the　jeering　of　the　other　sandwichmen；　the　loafers　outside　the　public　houses；　and　the　boys；　who　shouted　‘old　Jack　in　the　box'　after　him。　　Sometimes　the　boys　threw　refuse　at　the　frame；　and　once　a　decayed　orange　thrown　by　one　of　them　knocked　his　hat　off。

By　the　time　evening　came　he　was　scarcely　able　to　stand　for　weariness。　His　shoulders；　his　legs　and　his　feet　ached　terribly；　and　as　he　was　taking　the　thing　back　to　the　shop　he　was　accosted　by　a　ragged；　dirty…　looking；　beer…sodden　old　man　whose　face　was　inflamed　with　drink　and　fury。　　‘This　was　the　old　soldier　who　had　been　discharged　the　previous　day。　　He　cursed　and　swore　in　the　most　awful　manner　and　accused　Linden　of　‘taking　the　bread　out　of　his　mouth'；　and；　shaking　his　fist　fiercely　at　him；　shouted　that　he　had　a　good　mind　to　knock　his　face　through　his　head　and　out　of　the　back　of　his　neck。　　He　might　possibly　have　tried　to　put　this　threat　into　practice　but　for　the　timely　appearance　of　a　policeman；　when　he　calmed　down　at　once　and　took　himself　off。

Jack　did　not　go　back　the　next　day；　he　felt　that　he　would　rather　starve　than　have　any　more　of　the　advertisement　frame；　and　after　this　he　seemed　to　abandon　all　hope　of　earning　money：　wherever　he　went　it　was　the　same　…　no　one　wanted　him。　　So　he　just　wandered　about　the　streets　aimlessly；　now　and　then　me