Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1871-07-27

thrown out Of work." I said, "Do you
owe anything else ?"
swell, there's where it il, SIR We
might ha' gone on for bit longer, but last
week they at the shop told my missus that
they couldn't 90 on no longer unless she
paid something"
SIS that much ?'
"Well, sir, it's goodish bit, | must al
low"
"This is serious matter, John. When
a trader uses other peoples money 20 spec
ulate with, loses it and pays ninepence in
the pound, you workingmen are very free
with your comments; and when noble
man outruns the constable you take him
to pieces pretty sharply, don't you ~
81 can't deny it, SIR"
swell, what is wrong with hundred
thousand pounds is wrong with few
pounds. You hare not been honest, Joha."
He started and looked really angry, and
his lace flushed Indignantly. Stay" |
said, "and hear me. If, instead Of two
months rent for q small tenement, you
owed it for mansion in Belgravia; and if,
instead of bill at the shop, you owed
thousands for the maintenance Of an ex-
pensive establishment and for luXuries,
aud had no means of paying, because you
had already spent all your income, would
that be honest %
II can't say as it would, SIR"
"Wcll, it's clear as day that you have
been living beyond your income, somehow
or other, or else where's the money gone
to- And so you are not only in difficulty
because you are out Of work, but because
you are in debt too. Its clear it hasn't
been sending your children to school has
ruined you. There are only three Of them
old enough to 90, and SiXpence week for
them can't make man poor that earns
thirty shillings week. How much do
you spend in beer, John ?"
"I'm not a drinking man, Sir, as you
knows, though | amt teetotaler. A
man must have something to work upon |;
leastways, | must"
81 won't dispute that point with you
now" I replied, for knew that to do so
would be to lose the mold | had, by at
tempting too much. "But come, how
much, about %
lie looked ashamed now, and said,
swell, for the matter of that, might do
with less, l don't doubt"
"Two pints day, perhaps ?"
ayes, that is when I'm in work."
"Three sometimes, and an extra one, or
a glass of gin and water on Saturday night
perhaps ?" said
"Wcll, I won't deny it,"
"Six or seven shlllings week then,
when you're in work ?"
"You like spree now and then, don't
you, John2 And now and then a trip on
a Sunday down to Greenwich or Rich
mond ? Or to Brighton and back for three
shillings 2"
"A man must get out bit sometimes"
he replied, doggedly ; land the missis and
children, too"
Right" | replied Shy all means. But
man shouldn't drive carriage and pair
when he can only afford donkey-cart.
Now come, how much do you spend when
you 90 out for one Of these trips on Sun
day ~
I helped him to make the calculation,
and it came to this, that it couldn't well
be less than four or five shillings, at the
cheapest; and, Of course, to Brighton and
back good deal more. lie confessed to
having once spent pound in this way.
johns eyes began to be opened.
"And you 80 pretty often, in the Sum
lner time, don't you 81
"Well, VIC do 60 pretty often, sir, and |
don't say it's right at all times but there,
an the while there's money in the pocket,
sir, it will CO."
Nov, john" said, 81 am not going to
send you away with good advice-,aw'
you'd call it, perhaps-and nothing else.
have small fund at my disposal for de-
serving cases." Il thought he looked a lit
tie confused at Tie word deserving), "and
1 shall give you something out of it for
present necessity. Make the best use of
it you can, and I'll see you again soon,
I've sent something down to your house
for the children; and my wife will call and
see yours soon. Goodbye, John"
| went to his house day or two after
this, and found him at home, sitting des-
pondinglv by the CRATE, in which was a
mere handful of fire, though it was cold,
raw day. The room was almost bare Of
furniture, and had a poverty stricken look.
"Well, john" said Show is it ; Any
work in prospect ?"
"No, sir, nothing; and the governors,
leastways the foreman told me this morn
ing it warn't likely there would be, not
for some time to come. Things, he said,
was as bad as they could be; so many Of
these banks and companies had gone to
smash"
"Do you know why Jobn?" asked.
"Well, not to say exactly, sir"
Raising money on false pretenses and
spending it before they had got it," / said.
"They have been going too fast, John
steam full on, and not caring whether the
fire was clear or no and now they've run
into another train, and there's an awful
smash and one train comes after another
and makes it worse, and they can't do any
thing to prevent it."
"It's great shame, sir, as 50 many
should suffer, though"
"You love your children, john" l said.
He looked at me and tried to speak, but
could not 1t was no use his trying to
hide it; and at last he fairly sobbed.
"Now, john" said, we must try and
rub through these bad times as best we
can, and I'll do what can to help you
But how is it to be for the future? With
thirty sbillingS week, you ought to lay
by, ought you not ?"
"It seems as ought" he replied.
"Well, now make up your mind to begin
as soon as ever you get afoat again. OF
course, you must first Of all pay what you
owe, have seen the agent who collects
your rent, and lie will take the back-rent