I ought to be a judge, for it was
on my own property."
"And what is the rate of wages, in your part of the world,
Lord Marney?" inquired Mr St Lys who was standing by.
"Oh! good enough: not like your manufacturing districts; but
people who work in the open air, instead of a furnace, can't
expect, and don't require such. They get their eight
shillings a week; at least generally."
"Eight shillings a week!" said Mr St Lys. "Can a labouring
man with a family, perhaps of eight children, live on eight
shillings a week!"
"Oh! as for that," said Lord Marney; "they get more than that,
because there is beer-money allowed, at least to a great
extent among us, though I for one do not approve of the
practice, and that makes nearly a shilling per week
additional; and then some of them have potatoe grounds, though
I am entirely opposed to that system.
"And yet," said Mr St Lys, "how they contrive to live is to me
marvellous."
"Oh! as for that," said Lord Marney, "I have generally found
the higher the wages the worse the workman. They only spend
their money in the beer-shops. They are the curse of this
country."
"But what is a poor man to do," said Mr St Lys; "after his
day's work if he returns to his own roof and finds no home:
his fire extinguished, his food unprepared; the partner of his
life, wearied with labour in the field or the factory, still
absent, or perhaps in bed from exhaustion, or because she has
returned wet to the skin, and has no change of raiment for her
relief.
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