Indeed! I have been, in my time,
to all the shops about here, for the lads or their father, but
never knew tommy so bad as this. I have two children at home
ill from their flour; I have been very poorly myself; one is
used to a little white clay, but when they lay it on thick,
it's very grave."
"Are your girls in the pit?"
"No; we strive to keep them out, and my man has gone scores of
days on bread and water for that purpose; and if we were not
forced to take so much tommy, one might manage--but tommy will
beat anything; Health first, and honesty afterwards, that's my
say."
"Well, for my part," said the crone, "meat's my grievance: all
the best bits go to the butties, and the pieces with bone in
are chopped off for the colliers' wives."
"Dame, when will the door open?" asked a very little palefaced
boy. I have been here all this morn, and never broke my
fast."
"And what do you want, chilt?"
I want a loaf for mother; but I don't feel I shall ever get
home again, I'm all in a way so dizzy."
"Liza Gray," said a woman with black beady eyes and a red
nose, speaking in a sharp voice and rushing up to a pretty
slatternly woman in a straw bonnet with a dirty fine ribbon,
and a babe at her breast; "you know the person I'm looking
for.
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