the ragged trousered philanthropists-第16章

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re　at　seven；　and　it's　only　a　quarter　to　four　now。　　Where　do　you　live？　What's　your　name？'　　Easton　gave　his　name　and　address　and　began　repeating　the　story　about　the　clock　having　stopped。

‘What　you　say　may　be　all　right　or　it　may　not；'　interrupted　the　policeman。　　‘I'm　not　sure　but　that　I　ought　to　take　you　to　the　station。　All　I　know　about　you　is　that　I　find　you　loitering　outside　this　shop。　What　have　you　got　in　that　basket？'

‘Only　my　breakfast；'　Easton　said；　opening　the　basket　and　displaying　its　contents。

‘I'm　inclined　to　believe　what　you　say；'　said　the　policeman；　after　a　pause。　　‘But　to　make　quite　sure　I'll　go　home　with　you。　　It's　on　my　beat；　and　I　don't　want　to　run　you　in　if　you're　what　you　say　you　are；　but　I　should　advise　you　to　buy　a　decent　clock；　or　you'll　be　getting　yourself　into　trouble。'

When　they　arrived　at　the　house　Easton　opened　the　door；　and　after　making　some　entries　in　his　note…book　the　officer　went　away；　much　to　the　relief　of　Easton；　who　went　upstairs；　set　the　hands　of　the　clock　right　and　started　it　going　again。　　He　then　removed　his　overcoat　and　lay　down　on　the　bed　in　his　clothes；　covering　himself　with　the　quilt。　After　a　while　he　fell　asleep；　and　when　he　awoke　the　clock　was　still　ticking。

The　time　was　exactly　seven　o'clock。



Chapter　4

The　Placard


Frank　Owen　was　the　son　of　a　journeyman　carpenter　who　had　died　of　consumption　when　the　boy　was　only　five　years　old。　　After　that　his　mother　earned　a　scanty　living　as　a　needle…woman。　　When　Frank　was　thirteen　he　went　to　work　for　a　master　decorator　who　was　a　man　of　a　type　that　has　now　almost　disappeared；　being　not　merely　an　employer　but　a　craftsman　of　a　high　order。

He　was　an　old　man　when　Frank　Owen　went　to　work　for　him。　　At　one　time　he　had　had　a　good　business　in　the　town；　and　used　to　boast　that　he　had　always　done　good　work；　had　found　pleasure　in　doing　it　and　had　been　well　paid　for　it。　　But　of　late　years　the　number　of　his　customers　had　dwindled　considerably；　for　there　had　arisen　a　new　generation　which　cared　nothing　about　craftsmanship　or　art；　and　everything　for　cheapness　and　profit。　　From　this　man　and　by　laborious　study　and　practice　in　his　spare　time；　aided　by　a　certain　measure　of　natural　ability；　the　boy　acquired　a　knowledge　of　decorative　painting　and　design；　and　graining　and　signwriting。

Frank's　mother　died　when　he　was　twenty…four；　and　a　year　afterwards　he　married　the　daughter　of　a　fellow　workman。　　In　those　days　trade　was　fairly　good　and　although　there　was　not　much　demand　for　the　more　artistic　kinds　of　work；　still　the　fact　that　he　was　capable　of　doing　them；　if　required；　made　it　comparatively　easy　for　him　to　obtain　employment。　　Owen　and　his　wife　were　very　happy。　　They　had　one　child　…　a　boy　…　and　for　some　years　all　went　well。　　But　gradually　this　state　of　things　altered：　broadly　speaking；　the　change　came　slowly　and　imperceptibly；　although　there　were　occasional　sudden　fluctuations。

Even　in　summer　he　could　not　always　find　work：　and　in　winter　it　was　almost　impossible　to　get　a　job　of　any　sort。　　At　last；　about　twelve　months　before　the　date　that　this　story　opens；　he　determined　to　leave　his　wife　and　child　at　home　and　go　to　try　his　fortune　in　London。　　When　he　got　employment　he　would　send　for　them。

It　was　a　vain　hope。　　He　found　London；　if　anything；　worse　than　his　native　town。　　Wherever　he　went　he　was　confronted　with　the　legend：　‘No　hands　wanted'。　　He　walked　the　streets　day　after　day；　pawned　or　sold　all　his　clothes　save　those　he　stood　in；　and　stayed　in　London　for　six　months；　sometimes　starving　and　only　occasionally　obtaining　a　few　days　or　weeks　work。

At　the　end　of　that　time　he　was　forced　to　give　in。　　The　privations　he　had　endured；　the　strain　on　his　mind　and　the　foul　atmosphere　of　the　city　combined　to　defeat　him。　　Symptoms　of　the　disease　that　had　killed　his　father　began　to　manifest　themselves；　and　yielding　to　the　repeated　entreaties　of　his　wife　he　returned　to　his　native　town；　the　shadow　of　his　former　self。

That　was　six　months　ago；　and　since　then　he　had　worked　for　Rushton　&　Co。　Occasionally　when　they　had　no　work　in　hand；　he　was　‘stood　off'　until　something　came　in。

Ever　since　his　return　from　London；　Owen　had　been　gradually　abandoning　himself　to　hopelessness。　　Every　day　he　felt　that　the　disease　he　suffered　from　was　obtaining　a　stronger　grip　on　him。　　The　doctor　told　him　to　‘take　plenty　of　nourishing　food'；　and　prescribed　costly　medicines　which　Owen　had　not　the　money　to　buy。

Then　there　was　his　wife。　　Naturally　delicate；　she　needed　many　things　that　he　was　unable　to　procure　for　her。　　And　the　boy　…　what　hope　was　there　for　him？　　Often　as　Owen　moodily　thought　of　their　circumstances　and　prospects　he　told　himself　that　it　would　be　far　better　if　they　could　all　three　die　now；　together。

He　was　tired　of　suffering　himself；　tired　of　impotently　watching　the　sufferings　of　his　wife；　and　appalled　at　the　thought　of　what　was　in　store　for　the　child。

Of　this　nature　were　his　reflections　as　he　walked　homewards　on　the　evening　of　the　day　when　old　Linden　was　dismissed。　　There　was　no　reason　to　believe　or　hope　that　the　existing　state　of　things　would　be　altered　for　a　long　time　to　come。

Thousands　of　people　like　himself　dragged　out　a　wretched　existence　on　the　very　verge　of　starvation；　and　for　the　greater　number　of　people　life　was　one　long　struggle　against　poverty。　　Yet　practically　none　of　these　people　knew　or　even　troubled　themselves　to　inquire　why　they　were　in　that　condition；　and　for　anyone　else　to　try　to　explain　to　them　was　a　ridiculous　waste　of　time；　for　they　did　not　want　to　know。

The　remedy　was　so　simple；　the　evil　so　great　and　so　glaringly　evident　that　the　only　possible　explanation　of　its　continued　existence　was　that　the　majority　of　his　fellow　workers　were　devoid　of　the　power　of　reasoning。　　If　these　people　were　not　mentally　deficient　they　would　of　their　own　accord　have　swept　this　silly　system　away　long　ago。　　It　would　not　have　been　necessary　for　anyone　to　teach　them　that　it　was　wrong。

Why；　even　those　who　were　successful　or　wealthy　could　not　be　sure　that　they　would　not　eventually　die　of　want。　　In　every　workhouse　might　be　found　people　who　had　at　one　time　occupied　good　positions；　and　their　downfall　was　not　in　every　case　their　own　fault。

No　matter　how　prosperous　a　man　might　be；　he　could　not　be　certain　that　his　children　would　never　want　for　bread。　　There　were　thousands　living　in　misery　on　starvation　wages　whose　parents　had　been　wealthy　people。

As　Owen　strode　rapidly　along；　his　mind　filled　with　these　thoughts；　he　was　almost　unconscious　of　the　fact　that　he　was　wet　through　to　the　skin。　　He　was　without　an　overcoat；　it　was　pawned　in　London；　and　he　had　not　yet　been　able　to　redeem　it。　　His　boots　were　leaky　and　sodden　with　mud　and　rain。

He　was　nearly　home　now。　　At　the　corner　of　the　street　in　which　he　lived　there　was　a　newsagent's　shop　and　on　a　board　outside　the　door　was　displayed　a　placard：

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　TERRIBLE　DOMESTIC　TRAGEDY　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　DOUBLE　MURDER　AND　SUICIDE

He　went　in　to　buy　a　copy　of　the　paper。　　He　was　a　frequent　customer　here；　and　as　he　entered　the　shopkeeper　greeted　him　by　name。

‘Dreadful　weather；'　he　remarked　as　he　handed　Owen　the　paper。　　‘It　makes　things　pretty　bad　in　your　line；　I　suppose？'

‘Yes；'　responded　Owen；　‘there's　a　lot　of　men　idle；　but　fortunately　I　happen　to　be　working　inside。'

‘You're　one　of　the　lucky　ones；　then；'　said　the　other。　　‘You　know；　there'll　be　a　job　here　for　some　of　'em　as　soon　as　the　weather　gets　a　little　better。　　All　the　outside　of　this　block　is　going　to　be　done　up。　That's　a　pretty　big　job；　isn't　it？'

‘Yes；'　returned　Owen。　　‘Who's　going　to　do　it？'

‘Makehaste　and　Sloggit。　　You　know；　they've　got　a　place　over　at　Windley。'

‘Yes；　I　know　the　firm；'　said　Owen；　grimly。　　He　had　worked　for　them　once　or　twice　himself。

‘The　foreman　was　in　here　today；'　the　shopkeeper　went　on。　　‘He　said　they're　going　to　make　a　start　Monday　morning　if　it's　fine。'

‘Well；　I　hope　it　will　be；'　said　Owen；　‘because　things　are　very　quiet　just　now。'

Wishing　the　other　‘Good　nigh'；　Owen　again　proceeded　homewards。

Half…way　down　the　street　he　paused　irresolutely：　he　was　thinking　of　the　news　he　had　just　heard　and　of　Jack　Linden。

As　soon　as　it　became　generally　known　that　this　work　was　about　to　be　started　there　was　sure　to