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of the startled woe upon their faces the crowd would roar with laughter as
it flooded past。
This was the most striking thing； the general heartlessness exhibited on
every hand。 It is a commonplace； the homeless on the benches； the poor
miserable folk who may be teased and are harmless。 Fifty thousand people
must have passed the bench while I sat upon it； and not one； on such a
jubilee occasion as the crowning of the King； felt his heart…strings touched
sufficiently to come up and say to the woman： 〃Here's sixpence； go and
get a bed。〃 But the women； especially the young women； made witty
remarks upon the woman nodding； and invariably set their companions
laughing。
To use a Briticism； it was 〃cruel〃； the corresponding Americanism was
more appropriateit was 〃fierce。〃 I confess I began to grow incensed at
this happy crowd streaming by； and to extract a sort of satisfaction from
the London statistics which demonstrate that one in every four adults is
destined to die on public charity； either in the workhouse； the infirmary； or
the asylum。
I talked with the man。 He was fifty…four and a broken…down docker。
He could only find odd work when there was a large demand for labour；
for the younger and stronger men were preferred when times were slack。
He had spent a week； now； on the benches of the Embankment； but things
looked brighter for next week； and he might possibly get in a few days'
work and have a bed in some doss…house。 He had lived all his life in
London； save for five years； when； in 1878； he saw foreign service in
India。
Of course he would eat； so would the girl。 Days like this were
uncommon hard on such as they； though the coppers were so busy poor
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folk could get in more sleep。 I awoke the girl； or woman； rather； for she
was 〃Eyght an' twenty； sir；〃 and we started for a coffee… house。
〃Wot a lot o' work puttin' up the lights；〃 said the man at sight of some
building superbly illuminated。 This was the keynote of his being。 All
his fife he had worked； and the whole objective universe； as well as his
own soul； he could express in terms only of work。 〃Coronations is some
good；〃 he went on。 〃They give work to men。〃
〃But your belly is empty；〃 I said。
〃Yes；〃 he answered。 〃I tried； but there wasn't any chawnce。 My age
is against me。 Wot do you work at？ Seafarin' chap； eh？ I knew it
from yer clothes。〃
〃I know wot you are；〃 said the girl； 〃an Eyetalian。〃
〃No 'e ayn't；〃 the man cried heatedly。 〃'E's a Yank； that's wot 'e is。 I
know。〃
〃Lord lumne； look a' that；〃 she exclaimed； as we debauched upon the
Strand； choked with the roaring； reeling Coronation crowd； the men
bellowing and the girls singing in high throaty notes：…
〃Oh！ on Coronation D'y； on Coronation D'y； We'll 'ave a spree； a
jubilee； an' shout 'Ip； 'ip； 'ooray； For we'll all be merry； drinkin' whisky；
wine； and sherry； We'll all be merry on Coronation D'y。〃
〃'Ow dirty I am； bein' around the w'y I 'ave；〃 the woman said； as she
sat down in a coffee…house； wiping the sleep and grime from the corners of
her eyes。 〃An' the sights I 'ave seen this d'y； an' I enjoyed it； though it
was lonesome by myself。 An' the duchesses an' the lydies 'ad sich gran'
w'ite dresses。 They was jest bu'ful； bu'ful。〃
〃I'm Irish；〃 she said； in answer to a question。 〃My nyme's
Eyethorne。〃
〃What？〃 I asked。
〃Eyethorne； sir； Eyethorne。〃
〃Spell it。〃
〃H…a…y…t…h…o…r…n…e； Eyethorne。'
〃Oh；〃 I said； 〃Irish Cockney。〃
〃Yes； sir； London…born。〃
She had lived happily at home till her father died； killed in an accident；
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when she had found herself on the world。 One brother was in the army；
and the other brother； engaged in keeping a wife and eight children on
twenty shillings a week and unsteady employment； could do nothing for
her。 She had been out of London once in her life； to a place in Essex；
twelve miles away； where she had picked fruit for three weeks： 〃An' I
was as brown as a berry w'en I come back。 You won't b'lieve it； but I
was。〃
The last place in which she had worked was a coffee…house； hours
from seven in the morning till eleven at night； and for which she had
received five shillings a week and her food。 Then she had fallen sick；
and since emerging from the hospital had been unable to find anything to
do。 She wasn't feeling up to much； and the last two nights had been spent
in the street。
Between them they stowed away a prodigious amount of food； this
man and woman； and it was not till I had duplicated and triplicated their
original orders that they showed signs of easing down。
Once she reached across and felt the texture of my coat and shirt； and
remarked upon the good clothes the Yanks wore。 My rags good clothes！
It put me to the blush； but； on inspecting them more closely and on
examining the clothes worn by the man and woman； I began to feel quite
well dressed and respectable。
〃What do you expect to do in the end？〃 I asked them。 〃You know
you're growing older every day。〃
〃Work'ouse；〃 said he。
〃Gawd blimey if I do；〃 said she。 〃There's no 'ope for me； I know； but
I'll die on the streets。 No work'ouse for me； thank you。 No； indeed；〃
she sniffed in the silence that fell。
〃After you have been out all night in the streets；〃 I asked； 〃what do
you do in the morning for something to eat？〃
〃Try to get a penny； if you 'aven't one saved over；〃 the man explained。
〃Then go to a coffee…'ouse an' get a mug o' tea。〃
〃But I don't see how that is to feed you；〃 I objected。
The pair smiled knowingly。
〃You drink your tea in little sips；〃 he went on； 〃making it last its
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longest。 An' you look sharp； an' there's some as leaves a b