The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists
this month, and we must request you to let us have this amount by return of post.
Under the terms of your agreement you guaranteed that the money should be paid on Saturday of every fourth week. To prevent unpleasantness, we must request you for the future to forward the full amount punctually upon that day.
J. Didlum & Co., Ltd.
He read these communications several times in silence, and finally with an oath threw them down on the table.
'How much do we still owe for the oilcloth and the furniture?' he asked.
'I don't know exactly. It was seven pound odd, and we've had the things about six months. We paid one pound down and three or four instalments. I'll get you the card if you like.'
'No, never mind. Say we've paid one pound twelve; so we still owe about six pound.'
He added this amount to the list.
'I think it's a great pity we ever had the things at all,' he said, peevishly. 'It would have been much better to have gone without until we could pay cash for them; but you would have your way, of course. Now we'll have this bloody debt dragging on us for years, and before the dam stuff is paid for it'll be worn out.'
The woman did not reply at once. She was bending down over the cradle arranging the coverings which the restless movements of the child had disordered. She was crying silently, unnoticed by her husband.
For months past—in fact ever since the child was born—she had been existing without sufficient food. If Easton was unemployed they had to stint themselves so as to avoid getting further into debt than was absolutely necessary. When he was working they had to go short in order to pay what they owed; but of what there was Easton himself, without knowing it, always had the greater share. If he was at work she would pack into his dinner basket over-night the best there was in the house. When he was out of work she often pretended, as she gave him his meals, that she had had hers while he was out. And all this time the baby was draining her life away, and her work was never done.
She felt very weak and weary as she crouched over there, crying furtively and trying not to let him see.
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