the ragged trousered philanthropists-第66章

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　was　the　same　…　no　one　wanted　him。　　So　he　just　wandered　about　the　streets　aimlessly；　now　and　then　meeting　an　old　workmate　who　asked　him　to　have　a　drink；　but　this　was　not　often；　for　nearly　all　of　them　were　out　of　work　and　penniless。



Chapter　33

The　Soldier's　Children


During　most　of　this　time；　Jack　Linden's　daughter…in…law　had　‘Plenty　of　Work'；　making　blouses　and　pinafores　for　Sweater　&　Co。　　She　had　so　much　to　do　that　one　might　have　thought　that　the　Tory　Millennium　had　arrived；　and　that　Tariff　Reform　was　already　an　accomplished　fact。

She　had　Plenty　of　Work。

At　first　they　had　employed　her　exclusively　on　the　cheapest　kind　of　blouses　…　those　that　were　paid　for　at　the　rate　of　two　shillings　a　dozen；　but　they　did　not　give　her　many　of　that　sort　now。　　She　did　the　work　so　neatly　that　they　kept　her　busy　on　the　better　qualities；　which　did　not　pay　her　so　well；　because　although　she　was　paid　more　per　dozen；　there　was　a　great　deal　more　work　in　them　than　in　the　cheaper　kinds。　Once　she　had　a　very　special　one　to　make；　for　which　she　was　paid　six　shillings；　but　it　took　her　four　and　a　half　days　…　working　early　and　late　…　to　do　it。　　The　lady　who　bought　this　blouse　was　told　that　it　came　from　Paris；　and　paid　three　guineas　for　it。　　But　of　course　Mrs　Linden　knew　nothing　of　that；　and　even　if　she　had　known；　it　would　have　made　no　difference　to　her。

Most　of　the　money　she　earned　went　to　pay　the　rent；　and　sometimes　there　was　only　two　or　three　shillings　left　to　buy　food　for　all　of　them：　sometimes　not　even　so　much；　because　although　she　had　Plenty　of　Work　she　was　not　always　able　to　do　it。　　There　were　times　when　the　strain　of　working　the　machine　was　unendurable：　her　shoulders　ached；　her　arms　became　cramped；　and　her　eyes　pained　so　that　it　was　impossible　to　continue。　　Then　for　a　change　she　would　leave　the　sewing　and　do　some　housework。

Once；　when　they　owed　four　weeks'　rent；　the　agent　was　so　threatening　that　they　were　terrified　at　the　thought　of　being　sold　up　and　turned　out　of　the　house；　and　so　she　decided　to　sell　the　round　mahogany　table　and　some　of　the　other　things　out　of　the　sitting…room。　　Nearly　all　the　furniture　that　was　in　the　house　now　belonged　to　her；　and　had　formed　her　home　before　her　husband　died。　　The　old　people　had　given　most　of　their　things　away　at　different　times　to　their　other　sons　since　she　had　come　to　live　there。　　These　men　were　all　married　and　all　in　employment。　One　was　a　fitter　at　the　gasworks；　the　second　was　a　railway　porter；　and　the　other　was　a　butcher；　but　now　that　the　old　man　was　out　of　work　they　seldom　came　to　the　house。　　The　last　time　they　had　been　there　was　on　Christmas　Eve；　and　then　there　had　been　such　a　terrible　row　between　them　that　the　children　had　been　awakened　by　it　and　frightened　nearly　out　of　their　lives。　　The　cause　of　the　row　was　that　some　time　previously　they　had　mutually　agreed　to　each　give　a　shilling　a　week　to　the　old　people。　　They　had　done　this　for　three　weeks　and　after　that　the　butcher　had　stopped　his　contribution：　it　had　occurred　to　him　that　he　was　not　to　be　expected　to　help　to　keep　his　brother's　widow　and　her　children。　　If　the　old　people　liked　to　give　up　the　house　and　go　to　live　in　a　room　somewhere　by　themselves；　he　would　continue　paying　his　shilling　a　week；　but　not　otherwise。　　Upon　this　the　railway　porter　and　the　gas…fitter　also　ceased　paying。　　They　said　it　wasn't　fair　that　they　should　pay　a　shilling　a　week　each　when　the　butcher　…　who　was　the　eldest　and　earned　the　best　wages　…　paid　nothing。　　Provided　he　paid；　they　would　pay；　but　if　he　didn't　pay　anything；　neither　would　they。　　On　Christmas　Eve　they　all　happened　to　come　to　the　house　at　the　same　time；　each　denounced　the　others；　and　after　nearly　coming　to　blows　they　all　went　away　raging　and　cursing　and　had　not　been　near　the　place　since。

As　soon　as　she　decided　to　sell　the　things；　Mary　went　to　Didlum's　second…hand　furniture　store；　and　the　manager　said　he　would　ask　Mr　Didlum　to　call　and　see　the　table　and　other　articles。　　She　waited　anxiously　all　the　morning；　but　he　did　not　appear；　so　she　went　once　more　to　the　shop　to　remind　him。　　When　he　did　come　at　last　he　was　very　contemptuous　of　the　table　and　of　everything　else　she　offered　to　sell。　Five　shillings　was　the　very　most　he　could　think　of　giving　for　the　table；　and　even　then　he　doubted　whether　he　would　ever　get　his　money　back。　　Eventually　he　gave　her　thirty　shillings　for　the　table；　the　overmantel；　the　easy　chair；　three　other　chairs　and　the　two　best　pictures　…　one　a　large　steel　engraving　of　‘The　Good　Samaritan'　and　the　other　‘Christ　Blessing　Little　Children'。

He　paid　the　money　at　once；　half　an　hour　afterwards　the　van　came　to　take　the　things　away；　and　when　they　were　gone；　Mary　sank　down　on　the　hearthrug　in　the　wrecked　room　and　sobbed　as　if　her　heart　would　break。

This　was　the　first　of　several　similar　transactions。　　Slowly；　piece　by　piece；　in　order　to　buy　food　and　to　pay　the　rent；　the　furniture　was　sold。　　Every　time　Didlum　came　he　affected　to　be　doing　them　a　very　great　favour　by　buying　the　things　at　all。　　Almost　an　act　of　charity。　He　did　not　want　them。　　Business　was　so　bad：　it　might　be　years　before　he　could　sell　them　again；　and　so　on。　　Once　or　twice　he　asked　Mary　if　she　did　not　want　to　sell　the　clock　…　the　one　that　her　late　husband　had　made　for　his　mother；　but　Mary　shrank　from　the　thought　of　selling　this；　until　at　last　there　was　nothing　else　left　that　Didlum　would　buy；　and　one　week；　when　Mary　was　too　ill　to　do　any　needlework　…　it　had　to　go。　He　gave　them　ten　shillings　for　it。

Mary　had　expected　the　old　woman　to　be　heartbroken　at　having　to　part　with　this　clock；　but　she　was　surprised　to　see　her　almost　indifferent。　The　truth　was；　that　lately　both　the　old　people　seemed　stunned；　and　incapable　of　taking　an　intelligent　interest　in　what　was　happening　around　them；　and　Mary　had　to　attend　to　everything。

From　time　to　time　nearly　all　their　other　possessions　…　things　of　inferior　value　that　Didlum　would　not　look　at；　she　carried　out　and　sold　at　small　second…hand　shops　in　back　streets　or　pledged　at　the　pawn…broker's。　　The　feather　pillows；　sheets；　and　blankets：　bits　of　carpet　or　oilcloth；　and　as　much　of　their　clothing　as　was　saleable　or　pawnable。　　They　felt　the　loss　of　the　bedclothes　more　than　anything　else；　for　although　all　the　clothes　they　wore　during　the　day；　and　all　the　old　clothes　and　dresses　in　the　house；　and　even　an　old　coloured　tablecloth；　were　put　on　the　beds　at　night；　they　did　not　compensate　for　the　blankets；　and　they　were　often　unable　to　sleep　on　account　of　the　intense　cold。

A　lady　district　visitor　who　called　occasionally　sometimes　gave　Mary　an　order　for　a　hundredweight　of　coal　or　a　shillingsworth　of　groceries；　or　a　ticket　for　a　quart　of　soup；　which　Elsie　fetched　in　the　evening　from　the　Soup　Kitchen。　　But　this　was　not　very　often；　because；　as　the　lady　said；　there　were　so　many　cases　similar　to　theirs　that　it　was　impossible　to　do　more　than　a　very　little　for　any　one　of　them。

Sometimes　Mary　became　so　weak　and　exhausted　through　overwork；　worry；　and　lack　of　proper　food　that　she　broke　down　altogether　for　the　time　being；　and　positively　could　not　do　any　work　at　all。　　Then　she　used　to　lie　down　on　the　bed　in　her　room　and　cry。

Whenever　she　became　like　this；　Elsie　and　Charley　used　to　do　the　housework　when　they　came　home　from　school；　and　make　tea　and　toast　for　her；　and　bring　it　to　the　bedside　on　a　chair　so　that　she　could　eat　lying　down。　　When　there　was　no　margarine　or　dripping　to　put　on　the　toast；　they　made　it　very　thin　and　crisp　and　pretended　it　was　biscuit。

The　children　rather　enjoyed　these　times；　the　quiet　and　leisure　was　so　different　from　other　days　when　their　mother　was　so　busy　she　had　no　time　to　speak　to　them。

They　would　sit　on　the　side　of　the　bed；　the　old　grandmother　in　her　chair　opposite　with　the　cat　beside　her　listening　to　the　conversation　and　purring　or　mewing　whenever　they　stroked　it　or　spoke　to　it。　　They　talked　principally　of　the　future。　　Elsie　said　she　was　going　to　be　a　teacher　and　earn　a　lot　of　money　to　bring　home　to　her　mother　to　buy　things　with。　　Charley　was　thinking　of　opening　a　grocer's　shop　and　having　a　horse　and　cart。　　When　one　has　a　grocer's　shop；　there　is　always　plenty　to　eat；　even　if　you　have　no　money；　you　can　take　as　much　as　you　like　out　of　your　shop　…　good　stuff；　too；　tins　of　salmon；　jam；　sardines；　eggs；　cakes；　biscuits　and　all　those　sorts　of　things　…　and　one　was　almost　certain　to　have　some　money　every　day；　because　it　wasn't　likely　that　a　whole　day　would　go　by　without　someone　or　other　coming　into　the　shop　to　buy　something。　　When　delivering　the　groceries　with　the　horse　and　cart；　he　would　give　rides　to　all　the　boys　he　knew；　and　in　the　summertime；　after　the　work　was　done　and　the　shop　shut　up；　Mother　and　Elsie　and　Granny　could　also　come　for　long　rides　into　the　country。

The　old　grandmother　…　who　had　latterly　become　quite　childish　…　used　to　sit　and　listen　to　all　this　talk　with　a　superior　air。　　Sometimes　she　argued　with　the　children　about　their　plans；　and　ridiculed　them。　　She　used　to　say　with　a　chuckle　that　she　had　heard　people　talk　like　that　before　…　lots　of　times　…　but　it　never　came　to　nothing　in　the　end。

One　week　about　the　middle　of　February；　when　they　were　in　very　sore　straits　indeed；　old　Jack　applied　to　the　secretary　of　the　Organized　Benevolence　Society　for　assistance。　　It　was　about　eleven　o'clock　in　the　morning　when　he　turned　the　corner　of　the　street　where　the　office　of　the　society　was　situated　and　saw　a　crowd　of　about　thirty　men　waiting　for　the　doors　to　be　opened　in　order　to　apply　for　soup　tickets。　Some　of　these　men　were　of　the　tramp　or　the　drunken　loafer　class；　some　were　old；　broken…down　workmen　like　himself；　and　others　were　labourers　wearing　corduroy　or　moleskin　trousers　with　straps　round　their　legs　under　their　knees。

Linden　waited　at　a　distance　until　all　these　were　gone　before　he　went　in。　　The　secretary　received　him　sympathetically　and　gave　him　a　big　form　to　fill　up；　but　as　Linden's　eyes　were　so　bad　and　his　hand　so　unsteady　the　secretary　very　obligingly　wrote　in　the　answers　himself；　and　informed　him　that　he　would　inquire　into　the　case　and　lay　his　application　before　the　committee　at　the　next　meeting；　which　was　to　be　held　on　the　following　Thursday　…　it　was　then　Monday。

Linden　explained　to　him　that　they　were　actually　starving。　　He　had　been　out　of　work　for　sixteen　weeks；　and　during　all　that　time　they　had　lived　for　the　most　part　on　the　earnings　of　his　daughter…in…law；　but　she　had　not　done　anything　for　nearly　a　fortnight　now；　because　the　firm　she　worked　for　had　not　had　any　work　for　her　to　do。　　There　was　no　food　in　the　house　and　the　children　were　crying　for　something　to　eat。　　All　last　week　they　had　been　going　to　school　hungry；　for　they　had　had　nothing　but　dry　bread　and　tea　every　day：　but　this　week　…　as　far　as　he　could　see　…　they　would　not　get　even　that。　　After　some　further　talk　the　secretary　gave　him　two　soup　tickets　and　an　order　for　a　loaf　of　bread；　and　repeated　his　promise　to　inquire　into　the　case　and　bring　it　before　the　committee。

As　Jack　was　returning　home　he　passed　the　Soup　Kitchen；　where　he　saw　the　same　lot　of　men　who　had　been　to　the　office　of　the　Organized　Benevolence　Society　for　the　soup　tickets。　　They　were　waiting　in　a　long　line　to　be　admitted。　　The　premises　being　so　small；　the　proprietor　served　them　in　batches　of　ten　at　a　time。

On　Wednesday　the　secretary　called　at　the　house；　and　on