'"
"Juggins has got his rent to pay and is afeard of the bums,"
said Nixon; "and he has got two waistcoats!"
"Besides," said another, "Diggs' tommy is only open once
aweek, and if you're not there in time, you go over for
another seven days. And it's such a distance, and he keeps a
body there such a time--it's always a day's work for my poor
woman; she can't do nothing after it, what with the waiting
and the standing and the cussing of Master Joseph Diggs,--for
he do swear at the women, when they rush in for the first
turn, most fearful."
"They do say he's a shocking little dog."
"Master Joseph is wery wiolent, but there is no one like old
Diggs for grabbing a bit of one's wages. He do so love it!
And then he says you never need be at no loss for nothing; you
can find everything under my roof. I should like to know who
is to mend our shoes. Has Gaffer Diggs a cobbler's stall?"
"Or sell us a penn-orth of potatoes," said another. "Or a
ha'porth of milk"
"No; and so to get them one is obliged to go and sell some
tommy, and much one gets for it. Bacon at ninepence a-pound
at Diggs', which you may get at a huckster's for sixpence.
and therefore the huckster can't be expected to give you more
than fourpence halfpenny, by which token the tommy in our
field just cuts our wages atween the navel.
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