第12章 THE HOMELESS(3)

No.5.Sawyer by trade,machinery cut him out.Had a job,haymaking near Uxbridge.Had been on same job lately for a month;got 2s.6d a day.(Probably spent it in drink,seems a very doubtful worker.)Has been odd jobbing a long time,earned 2d.to-day,bought a pen'orth of tea and ditto of sugar (produces same from pocket)but can't get any place to make the tea;was hoping to get to a lodging house where he could borrow a teapot,but had no money.Earned nothing yesterday,slept at a casual ward;very poor place,get insufficient food,considering the labour.Six ounces of bread and a pint of skilly for breakfast,one ounce of cheese and six or seven ounces of bread for dinner (bread cut by guess).Tea same as breakfast,--no supper.

For this you have to break 10cwt.of stones,or pick 4lbs.of oakum.

Number 6.Had slept out four nights running.Was a distiller by trade been out four months;unwilling to enter into details of leaving,but it was his own fault.(Very likely;a heavy,thick,stubborn,and senseless-looking fellow,six feet high,thick neck,strong limbs,evidently destitute of ability.Does odd jobs;earned 3d.for minding a horse,bought a cup of coffee and pen'orth of bread and butter.

Has no money now.Slept under Waterloo Bridge last night.

No.7.Good-natured looking man;one who would suffer and say nothing clothes shining with age,grease,and dirt;they hang on his joints as on pegs;awful rags!I saw him endeavouring to walk.He lifted his feet very slowly and put them down carefully in evident pain.His legs are bad;been in infirmary several times with them.His uncle and grandfather were clergymen;both dead now.He was once in a good position in a money office,and afterwards in the London and County Bank for nine years.Then he went with an auctioneer who broke,and he was left ill,old,and without any trade."A clerk's place,"says he,"is never worth having,because there are so many of them,and once out you can only get another place with difficulty.I have a brother-in-law on the Stock Exchange,but he won't own me.Look at my clothes?Is it likely?"No.8.Slept here four nights running.Is a builder's labourer by trade,that is,a handy-man.Had a settled job for a few weeks which expired three weeks since.Has earned nothing for nine days.Then helped wash down a shop front and got 2s.6d.for it.Does anything he can get.Is 46years old.Earns about 2d.or 3d.a day at horse minding.A cup of tea and a bit of bread yesterday,and same to-day,is all he has had.

No.9.A plumber's labourer (all these men who are somebody's "labourers"are poor samples of humanity,evidently lacking in grit,and destitute of ability to do any work which would mean decent wages).

Judging from appearances,they will do nothing well.They are a kind of automaton,with the machinery rusty;slow,dull,and incapable.

The man of ordinary intelligence leaves them in the rear.They could doubtless earn more even at odd jobs,but lack the energy.Of course,this means little food,exposure to weather,and increased incapability day by day.("From him that hath not,"etc.)Out of work through slackness,does odd jobs;slept here three nights running.Is a dock labourer when he can get work.Has 6d.an hour;works so many hours,according as he is wanted.Gets 2s.,3s.,or 4s.6d.a day.

Has to work very hard for it.Casual ward life is also very hard he says,for those who are not used to it,and there is not enough to eat.

Has had to-day a pen'orth of bread,for minding a cab.Yesterday he spent 31/2d.on a breakfast,and that lasted him all day.Age 25.

No.10.Been out of work a month.Carman by trade.Arm withered,and cannot do work properly.Has slept here all the week;got an awful cold through the wet.Lives at odd jobs (they all do).Got sixpence yesterday for minding a cab and carrying a couple of parcels.

Earned nothing to-day,but had one good meal;a lady gave it him.

Has been walking about all day looking for work,and is tired out.

No.11.Youth,aged 16.Sad case;Londoner.Works at odd jobs and matches selling.Has taken 3d.to-day,i.e.,net profit 11/2d.Has five boxes still.Has slept here every night for a month.Before that slept in Covent Garden Market or on doorsteps.Been sleeping out six months,since he left Feltham Industrial School.Was sent there for playing truant.Has had one bit of bread to-day;yesterday had only some gooseberries and cherries,i.e.,bad ones that had been thrown away.Mother is alive.She "chucked him out"when he returned home on leaving Feltham because he could'nt find her money for drink.

No.12.Old man,age 67.Seems to take rather a humorous view of the position.Kind of Mark Tapley.Says he can't say he does like it,but then he must like it!Ha,ha!Is a slater by trade.Been out of work some time;younger men naturally get the work.Gets a bit of bricklaying sometimes;can turn his hand to anything.Goes miles and gets nothing.Earned one and twopence this week at holding horses.