Ragged Trousered Philanthropists | Page 7

proceeded to smoke in silence.
Some time previously the firm had done some work for a wealthy gentleman who lived in the country, some distance outside Mugsborough. This gentleman also owned some property in the town and it was commonly reported that he had used his influence with Rushton to induce the latter to give Barrington employment. It was whispered amongst the hands that the young man was a distant relative of the gentleman's, and that he had disgraced himself in some way and been disowned by his people. Rushton was supposed to have given him a job in the hope of currying favour with his wealthy client, from whom he hoped to obtain more work. Whatever the explanation of the mystery may have been, the fact remained that Barrington, who knew nothing of the work except what he had learned since he had been taken on, was employed as a painter's labourer at the usual wages - fivepence per hour.
He was about twenty-five years of age and a good deal taller than the majority of the others, being about five feet ten inches in height and slenderly though well and strongly built. He seemed very anxious to learn all that he could about the trade, and although rather reserved in his manner, he had contrived to make himself fairly popular with his workmates. He seldom spoke unless to answer when addressed, and it was difficult to draw him into conversation. At meal-times, as on the present occasion, he generally smoked, apparently lost in thought and unconscious of his surroundings.
Most of the others also lit their pipes and a desultory conversation ensued.
`Is the gent what's bought this 'ouse any relation to Sweater the draper?' asked Payne, the carpenter's foreman.
`It's the same bloke,' replied Crass.
`Didn't he used to be on the Town Council or something?'
`'E's bin on the Council for years,' returned Crass. `'E's on it now. 'E's mayor this year. 'E's bin mayor several times before.'
`Let's see,' said Payne, reflectively, `'e married old Grinder's sister, didn't 'e? You know who I mean, Grinder the greengrocer.'
`Yes, I believe he did,' said Crass.
`It wasn't Grinder's sister,' chimed in old Jack Linden. `It was 'is niece. I know, because I remember working in their 'ouse just after they was married, about ten year ago.'
`Oh yes, I remember now,' said Payne. `She used to manage one of Grinder's branch shops didn't she?'
`Yes,' replied Linden. `I remember it very well because there was a lot of talk about it at the time. By all accounts, ole Sweater used to be a regler 'ot un: no one never thought as he'd ever git married at all: there was some funny yarns about several young women what used to work for him.'
This important matter being disposed of, there followed a brief silence, which was presently broken by Harlow.
`Funny name to call a 'ouse, ain't it?' he said. `"The Cave." I wonder what made 'em give it a name like that.'
`They calls 'em all sorts of outlandish names nowadays,' said old Jack Linden.
`There's generally some sort of meaning to it, though,' observed Payne. `For instance, if a bloke backed a winner and made a pile, 'e might call 'is 'ouse, "Epsom Lodge" or "Newmarket Villa".'
`Or sometimes there's a hoak tree or a cherry tree in the garding,' said another man; `then they calls it "Hoak Lodge" or "Cherry Cottage".'
`Well, there's a cave up at the end of this garden,' said Harlow with a grin, `you know, the cesspool, what the drains of the 'ouse runs into; praps they called it after that.'
`Talking about the drains,' said old Jack Linden when the laughter produced by this elegant joke had ceased. `Talking about the drains, I wonder what they're going to do about them; the 'ouse ain't fit to live in as they are now, and as for that bloody cesspool it ought to be done away with.'
`So it is going to be,' replied Crass. `There's going to be a new set of drains altogether, carried right out to the road and connected with the main.'
Crass really knew no more about what was going to be done in this matter than did Linden, but he felt certain that this course would be adopted. He never missed an opportunity of enhancing his own prestige with the men by insinuating that he was in the confidence of the firm.
`That's goin' to cost a good bit,' said Linden.
`Yes, I suppose it will,' replied Crass, `but money ain't no object to old Sweater. 'E's got tons of it; you know 'e's got a large wholesale business in London and shops all over the bloody country, besides the one 'e's got 'ere.'
Easton was still reading the Obscurer; he was not about to understand exactly what the compiler of the figures was driving at - probably the