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for old men of sixty； seventy； and eighty； ill…fed； with neither meat nor
blood； to greet the dawn unrefreshed； and to stagger through the day in
mad search for crusts； with relentless night rushing down upon them again；
and to do this five nights and daysO dear； soft people； full of meat and
blood； how can you ever understand？
I walked up Mile End Road between the Carter and the Carpenter。
Mile End Road is a wide thoroughfare； cutting the heart of East London；
and there were tens of thousands of people abroad on it。 I tell you this so
that you may fully appreciate what I shall describe in the next paragraph。
As I say； we walked along； and when they grew bitter and cursed the land；
I cursed with them； cursed as an American waif would curse； stranded in a
strange and terrible land。 And； as I tried to lead them to believe； and
succeeded in making them believe； they took me for a 〃seafaring man；〃
who had spent his money in riotous living； lost his clothes （no unusual
occurrence with seafaring men ashore）； and was temporarily broke while
looking for a ship。 This accounted for my ignorance of English ways in
general and casual wards in particular； and my curiosity concerning the
same。
The Carter was hard put to keep the pace at which we walked （he told
me that he had eaten nothing that day）； but the Carpenter； lean and hungry；
his grey and ragged overcoat flapping mournfully in the breeze； swung on
in a long and tireless stride which reminded me strongly of the plains wolf
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or coyote。 Both kept their eyes upon the pavement as they walked and
talked； and every now and then one or the other would stoop and pick
something up； never missing the stride the while。 I thought it was cigar
and cigarette stumps they were collecting； and for some time took no
notice。 Then I did notice。
FROM THE SLIMY； SPITTLE…DRENCHED； SIDEWALK； THEY
WERE PICKING UP BITS OF ORANGE PEEL； APPLE SKIN； AND
GRAPE STEMS； AND； THEY WERE EATING THEM。 THE PITS OF
GREENGAGE PLUMS THEY CRACKED BETWEEN THEIR TEETH
FOR THE KERNELS INSIDE。 THEY PICKED UP STRAY BITS OF
BREAD THE SIZE OF PEAS； APPLE CORES SO BLACK AND DIRTY
ONE WOULD NOT TAKE THEM TO BE APPLE CORES； AND THESE
THINGS THESE TWO MEN TOOK INTO THEIR MOUTHS； AND
CHEWED THEM； AND SWALLOWED THEM； AND THIS； BETWEEN
SIX AND SEVEN O'CLOCK IN THE EVENING OF AUGUST 20；
YEAR OF OUR LORD 1902； IN THE HEART OF THE GREATEST；
WEALTHIEST； AND MOST POWERFUL EMPIRE THE WORLD HAS
EVER SEEN。
These two men talked。 They were not fools； they were merely old。
And； naturally； their guts a…reek with pavement offal； they talked of
bloody revolution。 They talked as anarchists； fanatics； and madmen
would talk。 And who shall blame them？ In spite of my three good
meals that day； and the snug bed I could occupy if I wished； and my social
philosophy； and my evolutionary belief in the slow development and
metamorphosis of thingsin spite of all this； I say； I felt impelled to talk
rot with them or hold my tongue。 Poor fools！ Not of their sort are
revolutions bred。 And when they are dead and dust； which will be
shortly； other fools will talk bloody revolution as they gather offal from
the spittle…drenched sidewalk along Mile End Road to Poplar Workhouse。
Being a foreigner； and a young man； the Carter and the Carpenter
explained things to me and advised me。 Their advice； by the way； was
brief； and to the point； it was to get out of the country。 〃As fast as God'll
let me；〃 I assured them； 〃I'll hit only the high places； till you won't be able
to see my trail for smoke。〃 They felt the force of my figures； rather than
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understood them； and they nodded their heads approvingly。
〃Actually make a man a criminal against 'is will；〃 said the Carpenter。
〃'Ere I am； old； younger men takin' my place； my clothes gettin' shabbier
an' shabbier； an' makin' it 'arder every day to get a job。 I go to the casual
ward for a bed。 Must be there by two or three in the afternoon or I won't
get in。 You saw what happened to… day。 What chance does that give me
to look for work？ S'pose I do get into the casual ward？ Keep me in all
day to…morrow； let me out mornin' o' next day。 What then？ The law sez
I can't get in another casual ward that night less'n ten miles distant。 Have
to hurry an' walk to be there in time that day。 What chance does that give
me to look for a job？ S'pose I don't walk。 S'pose I look for a job？ In
no time there's night come； an' no bed。 No sleep all night； nothin' to eat；
what shape am I in the mornin' to look for work？ Got to make up my
sleep in the park somehow〃 （the vision of Christ's Church； Spitalfield； was
strong on me） 〃an' get something to eat。 An' there I am！ Old； down； an'
no chance to get up。〃
〃Used to be a toll…gate 'ere；〃 said the Carter。 〃Many's the time I've
paid my toll 'ere in my cartin' days。〃
〃I've 'ad three 'a'penny rolls in two days；〃 the Carpenter announced；
after a long pause in the conversation。 〃Two of them I ate yesterday； an'
the third to…day；〃 he concluded； after another long pause。
〃I ain't 'ad anything to…day；〃 said the Carter。 〃An' I'm fagged out。
My legs is hurtin' me something fearful。〃
〃The roll you get in the 'spike' is that 'ard you can't eat it nicely with
less'n a pint of water；〃 said the Carpenter； for my benefit。 And； on asking
him what the 〃spike〃 was； he answered； 〃The casual ward。 It's a cant
word； you know。〃
But what surprised me was that he should have the word 〃cant〃 in his
vocabulary； a vocabulary that I found was no mean one before we parted。
I asked them what I might expect in the way of treatment； if we
succeeded in getting into the Poplar Workhouse； and between them I was
supplied with much information。 Having taken a cold bath on entering； I
would be given for supper six ounces of bread and 〃three parts of skilly。〃
〃Three parts〃 means three…quarters of a pint； and 〃skilly〃 is a fluid
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concoction of three quarts of oatmeal stirred into three buckets and a half
of hot water。
〃Milk and sugar； I suppose； and a silver spoon？〃 I queried。
〃No fear。 Salt's what you'll get； an' I've seen some places where
you'd not get any spoon。 'Old 'er up an' let 'er run down； that's 'ow they
do it。〃
〃You do get good skilly at 'Ackney；〃 said the Carter。
〃Oh； wonderful skilly； that；〃 praised the Carpenter； and each looked
eloquently at the other。
〃Flour an' water at St。 George's in the East；〃 said the Carter。
The Carpenter nodded。 He had tried them all。
〃Then what？〃 I demanded
And I was informed that I was sent directly to bed。 〃Call you at half
after five in the mornin'； an' you get up an' take a 'sluice' if there's any
soap。 Then breakfast； same as supper； three parts o' skilly an' a six…ounce
loaf。〃
〃'Tisn't always six ounces；〃 corrected the Carter。
〃'Tisn't； no； an' often that sour you can 'ardly eat it。 When first I
started I couldn't eat the skilly nor the bread； but now I can eat my own an'
another man's portion。〃
〃I could eat three other men's portions；〃 said the Carter。 〃I 'aven't 'ad
a bit this blessed day。〃
〃Then what？〃
〃Then you've got to do your task； pick four pounds of oakum； or clean
an' scrub； or break ten to eleven hundredweight o' stones。 I don't 'ave to
break stones； I'm past sixty； you see。 They'll make you do it； though。
You're young an' strong。〃
〃What I don't