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。 Altogether the situation was so unpleasant that Slyme determined to clear out。 He made the excuse that he had been offered a few weeks' work at a place some little distance outside the town。 After he was gone they lived for several weeks in semi…starvation on what credit they could get and by selling the furniture or anything else they possessed that could be turned into money。 The things out of Slyme's room were sold almost directly he left。
Chapter 32
The Veteran
Old Jack Linden had tried hard to earn a little money by selling bloaters； but they often went bad； and even when he managed to sell them all the profit was so slight that it was not worth doing。
Before the work at ‘The Cave' was finished； Philpot was a good friend to them； he frequently gave old Jack sixpence or a shilling and often brought a bag off cakes or buns for the children。 Sometimes he came to tea with them on Sundays as an excuse for bringing a tin of salmon。
Elsie and Charley frequently went to Owen's house to take tea with Frankie； in fact； whilst Owen had anything to do； they almost lived there； for both Owen and Nora； knowing that the Lindens had nothing to live on except the earnings of the young woman； encouraged the children to come often。
Old Jack made some hopeless attempts to get work … work of any kind； but nobody wanted him； and to make things worse； his eyesight； which had been failing for a long time； became very bad。 Once he was given a job by a big provision firm to carry an advertisement about the streets。 The man who had been carrying it before … an old soldier … had been sacked the previous day for getting drunk while on duty。 The advertisement was not an ordinary pair of sandwich boards； but a sort of box without any bottom or lid； a wooden frame； four sides covered with canvas； an which were pasted printed bills advertising margarine。 Each side of this box or frame was rather larger than an ordinary sandwich board。
Old Linden had to get inside this thing and carry it about the streets； two straps fixed across the top of the frame and passing one over each of his shoulders enabled him to carry it。 It swayed about a good deal as he walked along； especially when the wind caught it； but there were two handles inside to hold it steady by。 The pay was eighteenpence a day； and he had to travel a certain route； up and down the busiest streets。
At first the frame did not feel very heavy； but the weight seemed to increase as the time went on； and the straps hurt his shoulders。 He felt very much ashamed； also； whenever he encountered any of his old mates； some of whom laughed at him。
In consequence of the frame requiring so much attention to keep it steady； and being unused to the work； and his sight so bad； he several times narrowly escaped being run over。 Another thing that added to his embarrassment was the jeering of the other sandwichmen； the loafers outside the public houses； and the boys； who shouted ‘old Jack in the box' after him。 Sometimes the boys threw refuse at the frame； and once a decayed orange thrown by one of them knocked his hat off。
By the time evening came he was scarcely able to stand for weariness。 His shoulders； his legs and his feet ached terribly； and as he was taking the thing back to the shop he was accosted by a ragged； dirty… looking； beer…sodden old man whose face was inflamed with drink and fury。 ‘This was the old soldier who had been discharged the previous day。 He cursed and swore in the most awful manner and accused Linden of ‘taking the bread out of his mouth'； and； shaking his fist fiercely at him； shouted that he had a good mind to knock his face through his head and out of the back of his neck。 He might possibly have tried to put this threat into practice but for the timely appearance of a policeman； when he calmed down at once and took himself off。
Jack did not go back the next day； he felt that he would rather starve than have any more of the advertisement frame； and after this he seemed to abandon all hope of earning money： wherever he went it was the same … no one wanted him。 So he just wandered about the streets aimlessly； now and then meeting an old workmate who asked him to have a drink； but this was not often； for nearly all of them were out of work and penniless。
Chapter 33
The Soldier's Children
During most of this time； Jack Linden's daughter…in…law had ‘Plenty of Work'； making blouses and pinafores for Sweater & Co。 She had so much to do that one might have thought that the Tory Millennium had arrived； and that Tariff Reform was already an accomplished fact。
She had Plenty of Work。
At first they had employed her exclusively on the cheapest kind of blouses … those that were paid for at the rate of two shillings a dozen； but they did not give her many of that sort now。 She did the work so neatly that they kept her busy on the better qualities； which did not pay her so well； because although she was paid more per dozen； there was a great deal more work in them than in the cheaper kinds。 Once she had a very special one to make； for which she was paid six shillings； but it took her four and a half days … working early and late … to do it。 The lady who bought this blouse was told that it came from Paris； and paid three guineas for it。 But of course Mrs Linden knew nothing of that； and even if she had known； it would have made no difference to her。
Most of the money she earned went to pay the rent； and sometimes there was only two or three shillings left to buy food for all of them： sometimes not even so much； because although she had Plenty of Work she was not always able to do it。 There were times when the strain of working the machine was unendurable： her shoulders ached； her arms became cramped； and her eyes pained so that it was impossible to continue。 Then for a change she would leave the sewing and do some housework。
Once； when they owed four weeks' rent； the agent was so threatening that they were terrified at the thought of being sold up and turned out of the house； and so she decided to sell the round mahogany table and some of the other things out of the sitting…room。 Nearly all the furniture that was in the house now belonged to her； and had formed her home before her husband died。 The old people had given most of their things away at different times to their other sons since she had come to live there。 These men were all married and all in employment。 One was a fitter at the gasworks； the second was a railway porter； and the other was a butcher； but now that the old man was out of work they seldom came to the house。 The last time they had been there was on Christmas Eve； and then there had been such a terrible row between them that the children had been awakened by it and frightened nearly out of their lives。 The cause of the row was that some time previously they had mutually agreed to each give a shilling a week to the old people。 They had done this for three weeks and after that the butcher had stopped his contribution： it had occurred to him that he was not to be expected to help to keep his brother's widow and her children。 If the old people liked to give up the house and go to live in a room somewhere by themselves； he would continue paying his shilling a week； but not otherwise。 Upon this the railway porter and the gas…fitter also ceased paying。 They said it wasn't fair that they should pay a shilling a week each when the butcher … who was the eldest and earned the best wages … paid nothing。 Provided he paid； they would pay； but if he didn't pay anything； neither would they。 On Christmas Eve they all happened to come to the house at the same time； each denounced the others； and after nearly coming to blows they all went away raging and cursing and had not been near the place since。
As soon as she decided to sell the things； Mary went to Didlum's second…hand furniture store； and the manager said he would ask Mr Didlum to call and see the table and other articles。 She waited anxiously all the morning； but he did not appear； so she went once more to the shop to remind him。 When he did come at last he was very contemptuous of the table and of everything else she offered to sell。 Five shillings was the very most he could think of giving for the table； and even then he doubted whether he would ever get his money back。 Eventually he gave her thirty shillings for the table； the overmantel； the easy chair； three other chairs and the two best pictures … one a large steel engraving of ‘The Good Samaritan' and the other ‘Christ Blessing Little Children'。
He paid the money at once； half an hour afterwards the van came to take the things away； and when they were gone； Mary sank down on the hearthrug in the wrecked room and sobbed as if her heart would break。
This was the first of several similar transactions。 Slowly； piece by piece； in order to buy food and to pay the rent； the furniture was sold。 Every time Didlum came he affected to be doing them a very great favour by buying the things at all。 Almost an act of charity。 He did not want them。 Business was so bad： it might be years before he could sell them again； and so on。 Once or twice he asked Mary if she did not want to sell the clock …