the ragged trousered philanthropists-第138节

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r　acting　as　bearers。

They　were　just　taking　out　the　coffin　from　the　hearse　as　Hunter's　party　was　passing；　and　most　of　the　latter　paused　for　a　moment　and　watched　them　carry　it　into　the　church。　　The　roughly　made　coffin　was　of　white　deal；　not　painted　or　covered　in　any　way；　and　devoid　of　any　fittings　or　ornament　with　the　exception　of　a　square　piece　of　zinc　on　the　lid。　None　of　Rushton's　party　was　near　enough　to　recognize　any　of　the　mourners　or　to　read　what　was　written　on　the　zinc；　but　if　they　had　been　they　would　have　seen；　roughly　painted　in　black　letters

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　J。L。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Aged　67

and　some　of　them　would　have　recognized　the　three　mourners　who　were　Jack　Linden's　sons。

As　for　the　bearers；　they　were　all　retired　working　men　who　had　come　into　their　‘titles'。　　One　of　them　was　old　Latham；　the　venetian　blind　maker。



Chapter　48

The　Wise　men　of　the　East


At　the　end　of　the　following　week　there　was　a　terrible　slaughter　at　Rushton's。　　Barrington　and　all　the　casual　hands　were　sacked；　including　Newman；　Easton　and　Harlow；　and　there　was　so　little　work　that　it　looked　as　if　everyone　else　would　have　to　stand　off　also。　　The　summer　was　practically　over；　so　those　who　were　stood　off　had　but　a　poor　chance　of　getting　a　start　anywhere　else；　because　most　other　firms　were　discharging　hands　as　well。

There　was　only　one　other　shop　in　the　town　that　was　doing　anything　at　all　to　speak　of；　and　that　was　the　firm　of　Dauber　and　Botchit。　　This　firm　had　come　very　much　to　the　front　during　the　summer；　and　had　captured　several　big　jobs　that　Rushton　&　Co。　had　expected　to　get；　besides　taking　away　several　of　the　latter's　old　customers。

This　firm　took　work　at　almost　half　the　price　that　Rushton's　could　do　it　for；　and　they　had　a　foreman　whose　little　finger　was　thicker　than　Nimrod's　thigh　。　Some　of　the　men　who　had　worked　for　both　firms　during　the　summer；　said　that　after　working　for　Dauber　and　Botchit；　working　for　Rushton　seemed　like　having　a　holiday。

‘There's　one　bloke　there；'　said　Newman；　in　conversation　with　Harlow　and　Easton。　　‘There's　one　bloke　there　wot　puts　up　twenty…five　rolls　o'　paper　in　a　day　an'　trims　and　pastes　for　'imself；　and　as　for　the　painters；　nearly　everyone　of　'em　gets　over　as　much　work　as　us　three　put　together；　and　if　you're　working　there　you've　got　to　do　the　same　or　get　the　sack。'

However　much　truth　or　falsehood　or　exaggeration　there　may　have　been　in　the　stories　of　the　sweating　and　driving　that　prevailed　at　Dauber　and　Botchit's；　it　was　an　indisputable　fact　that　the　other　builders　found　it　very　difficult　to　compete　with　them；　and　between　the　lot　of　them　what　work　there　was　to　do　was　all　finished　or　messed　up　in　about　a　quarter　of　the　time　that　it　would　have　taken　to　do　it　properly。

By　the　end　of　September　there　were　great　numbers　of　men　out　of　employment；　and　the　practical　persons　who　controlled　the　town　were　already　preparing　to　enact　the　usual　farce　of　‘Dealing'　with　the　distress　that　was　certain　to　ensue。　　The　Rev。　Mr　Bosher　talked　of　reopening　the　Labour　Yard；　the　secretary　of　the　OBS　appealed　for　more　money　and　cast…off　clothing　and　boots　…　the　funds　of　the　Society　had　been　depleted　by　the　payment　of　his　quarter's　salary。　　There　were　rumours　that　the　Soup　Kitchen　would　be　reopened　at　an　early　date　for　the　sale　of　‘nourishment'；　and　charitable　persons　began　to　talk　of　Rummage　Sales　and　soup　tickets。

Now　and　then；　whenever　a　‘job'　‘came　in'；　a　few　of　Rushton's　men　were　able　to　put　in　a　few　hours'　work；　but　Barrington　never　went　back。　　His　manner　of　life　was　the　subject　of　much　speculation　on　the　part　of　his　former　workmates；　who　were　not　a　little　puzzled　by　the　fact　that　he　was　much　better　dressed　than　they　had　ever　known　him　to　be　before；　and　that　he　was　never　without　money。　　He　generally　had　a　tanner　or　a　bob　to　lend；　and　was　always　ready　to　stand　a　drink；　to　say　nothing　of　what　it　must　have　cost　him　for　the　quantities　of　Socialist　pamphlets　and　leaflets　that　he　gave　away　broadcast。　　He　lodged　over　at　Windley；　but　he　used　to　take　his　meals　at　a　little　coffee　tavern　down　town；　where　he　used　often　to　invite　one　or　two　of　his　old　mates　to　take　dinner　with　him。　　It　sometimes　happened　that　one　of　them　would　invite　him　home　of　an　evening；　to　drink　a　cup　of　tea；　or　to　see　some　curiosity　that　the　other　thought　would　interest　him；　and　on　these　occasions　…　if　there　were　any　children　in　the　house　to　which　they　were　going　…　Barrington　usually　made　a　point　of　going　into　a　shop　on　their　way；　and　buying　a　bag　of　cakes　or　fruit　for　them。

All　sorts　of　theories　were　put　forward　to　account　for　his　apparent　affluence。　　Some　said　he　was　a　toff　in　disguise；　others　that　he　had　rich　relations　who　were　ashamed　of　him　because　he　was　a　Socialist；　and　who　allowed　him　so　much　a　week　so　long　as　he　kept　away　from　them　and　did　not　use　his　real　name。　　Some　of　the　Liberals　said　that　he　was　in　the　pay　of　the　Tories；　who　were　seeking　by　underhand　methods　to　split　up　the　Progressive　Liberal　Party。　　Just　about　that　time　several　burglaries　took　place　in　the　town；　the　thieves　getting　clear　away　with　the　plunder；　and　this　circumstance　led　to　a　dark　rumour　that　Barrington　was　the　culprit；　and　that　it　was　these　ill…gotten　gains　that　he　was　spending　so　freely。

About　the　middle　of　October　an　event　happened　that　drew　the　town　into　a　state　of　wild　excitement；　and　such　comparatively　unimportant　subjects　as　unemployment　and　starvation　were　almost　forgotten。

Sir　Graball　D'Encloseland　had　been　promoted　to　yet　a　higher　post　in　the　service　of　the　country　that　he　owned　such　a　large　part　of；　he　was　not　only　to　have　a　higher　and　more　honourable　position；　but　also　…　as　was　nothing　but　right　…　a　higher　salary。　　His　pay　was　to　be　increased　to　seven　thousand　five　hundred　a　year　or　one　hundred　and　fifty　pounds　per　week；　and　in　consequence　of　this　promotion　it　was　necessary　for　him　to　resign　his　seat　and　seek　re…election。

The　ragged…trousered　Tory　workmen　as　they　loitered　about　the　streets；　their　stomachs　empty；　said　to　each　other　that　it　was　a　great　honour　for　Mugsborough　that　their　Member　should　be　promoted　in　this　way。　They　boasted　about　it　and　assumed　as　much　swagger　in　their　gait　as　their　broken　boots　permitted。

They　stuck　election　cards　bearing　Sir　Graball's　photograph　in　their　windows　and　tied　bits　of　blue　and　yellow　ribbon　…　Sir　Graball's　colours　…　on　their　underfed　children。

The　Liberals　were　furious。　　They　said　that　an　election　had　been　sprung　on　them　…　they　had　been　taken　a　mean　advantage　of　…　they　had　no　candidate　ready。

They　had　no　complaint　to　make　about　the　salary；　all　they　complained　of　was　the　short　notice。　　It　wasn't　fair　because　while　they　…　the　leading　Liberals　…　had　been　treating　the　electors　with　the　contemptuous　indifference　that　is　customary；　Sir　Graball　D'Encloseland　had　been　most　active　amongst　his　constituents　for　months　past；　cunningly　preparing　for　the　contest。　　He　had　really　been　electioneering　for　the　past　six　months！　　Last　winter　he　had　kicked　off　at　quite　a　number　of　football　matches　besides　doing　all　sorts　of　things　for　the　local　teams。　　He　had　joined　the　Buffalos　and　the　Druids；　been　elected　President　of　the　Skull　and　Crossbones　Boys'　Society；　and；　although　he　was　not　himself　an　abstainer；　he　was　so　friendly　to　Temperance　that　he　had　on　several　occasions；　taken　the　chair　at　teetotal　meetings；　to　say　nothing　of　the　teas　to　the　poor　school　children　and　things　of　that　sort。　　In　short；　he　had　been　quite　an　active　politician；　in　the　Tory　sense　of　the　word；　for　months　past　and　the　poor　Liberals　had　not　smelt　a　rat　until　the　election　was　sprung　upon　them。

A　hurried　meeting　of　the　Liberal　Three　Hundred　was　held；　and　a　deputation　sent　to　London　to　find　a　candidate　but　as　there　was　only　a　week　before　polling　day　they　were　unsuccessful　in　their　mission。　Another　meeting　was　held；　presided　over　by　Mr　Adam　Sweater　…　Rushton　and　Didlum　also　being　present。

Profound　dejection　was　depicted　on　the　countenances　of　those　assembled　slave…drivers　as　they　listened　to　the　delegates'　report。　　The　sombre　silence　that　followed　was　broken　at　length　by　Mr　Rushton；　who　suddenly　started　up　and　said　that　he　began　to　think　they　had　made　a　mistake　in　going　outside　the　constituency　at　all　to　look　for　a　man。　　It　was　strange　but　true　that　a　prophet　never　received　honour　in　his　own　land。　They　had　been　wasting　the　precious　time　running　about　all　over　the　country；　begging　and　praying　for　a　candidate；　and　overlooking　the　fact　that　they　had　in　their　midst　a　gentleman　…　a　fellow　townsman；　who；　he　believed；　would　have　a　better　chance　of　success　than　any　stranger。　Surely　they　would　all　agree　…　if　they　could　only　prevail　upon　him　to　stand　…　that　Adam　Sweater　would　be　an　ideal　Liberal　Candidate！

While　Mr　Rushton　was　speaking　the　drooping　spirits　of　the　Three　Hundred　were　reviving；　and　at　the　name　of　Sweater　they　all　began　to　clap　their　hands　and　stamp　their　feet。　　Loud　shouts　of　enthusiastic　approval　burst　forth；　and　cries　of　‘Good　old　Sweater'　resounded　through　the　room。

When　Sweater　rose　to　reply；　the　tumult　died　away　as　suddenly　as　it　had　commenced。　　He　thanked　them　for　the　honour　they　were　conferring　upon　him。　　There　was　no　time　to　waste　in　words　or　idle　compliments；　rather　than　allow　the　Enemy　to　have　a　walk