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cities for the gathering of the harvests。 Then it is； when the land is
spilling its ripe wealth to waste； that the street folk； who have been driven
away from the soil； are called back to it again。 But in England they
return； not as prodigals； but as outcasts still； as vagrants and pariahs； to be
doubted and flouted by their country brethren； to sleep in jails and casual
wards； or under the hedges； and to live the Lord knows how。
It is estimated that Kent alone requires eighty thousand of the street
people to pick her hops。 And out they come； obedient to the call； which
is the call of their bellies and of the lingering dregs of adventure…lust still
in them。 Slum； stews； and ghetto pour them forth； and the festering
contents of slum； stews； and ghetto are undiminished。 Yet they overrun
the country like an army of ghouls； and the country does not want them。
They are out of place。 As they drag their squat； misshapen bodies along
the highways and byways； they resemble some vile spawn from
underground。 Their very presence； the fact of their existence； is an
outrage to the fresh； bright sun and the green and growing things。 The
clean； upstanding trees cry shame upon them and their withered
crookedness； and their rottenness is a slimy desecration of the sweetness
and purity of nature。
Is the picture overdrawn？ It all depends。 For one who sees and
thinks life in terms of shares and coupons； it is certainly overdrawn。 But
for one who sees and thinks life in terms of manhood and womanhood； it
cannot be overdrawn。 Such hordes of beastly wretchedness and
inarticulate misery are no compensation for a millionaire brewer who lives
in a West End palace； sates himself with the sensuous delights of London's
golden theatres； hobnobs with lordlings and princelings； and is knighted
by the king。 Wins his spursGod forbid！ In old time the great blonde
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beasts rode in the battle's van and won their spurs by cleaving men from
pate to chine。 And； after all； it is finer to kill a strong man with a clean…
slicing blow of singing steel than to make a beast of him； and of his seed
through the generations； by the artful and spidery manipulation of industry
and politics。
But to return to the hops。 Here the divorcement from the soil is as
apparent as in every other agricultural line in England。 While the
manufacture of beer steadily increases； the growth of hops steadily
decreases。 In 1835 the acreage under hops was 71；327。 To…day it
stands at 48；024； a decrease of 3103 from the acreage of last year。
Small as the acreage is this year； a poor summer and terrible storms
reduced the yield。 This misfortune is divided between the people who
own hops and the people who pick hops。 The owners perforce must put
up with less of the nicer things of life； the pickers with less grub； of which；
in the best of times； they never get enough。 For weary weeks headlines
like the following have appeared in the London papers。…
TRAMPS PLENTIFUL； BUT THE HOPS ARE FEW AND NOT
YET READY。
Then there have been numberless paragraphs like this：…
From the neighbourhood of the hop fields comes news of a
distressing nature。 The bright outburst of the last two days has sent many
hundreds of hoppers into Kent； who will have to wait till the fields are
ready for them。 At Dover the number of vagrants in the workhouse is
treble the number there last year at this time； and in other towns the
lateness of the season is responsible for a large increase in the number of
casuals。
To cap their wretchedness； when at last the picking had begun； hops
and hoppers were well…nigh swept away by a frightful storm of wind； rain；
and hail。 The hops were stripped clean from the poles and pounded into
the earth； while the hoppers； seeking shelter from the stinging hail； were
close to drowning in their huts and camps on the low…lying ground。
Their condition after the storm was pitiable； their state of vagrancy more
pronounced than ever； for； poor crop that it was； its destruction had taken
away the chance of earning a few pennies； and nothing remained for
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THE PEOPLE OF THE ABYSS
thousands of them but to 〃pad the hoof〃 back to London。
〃We ayn't crossin'…sweepers；〃 they said； turning away from the ground；
carpeted ankle…deep with hops。
Those that remained grumbled savagely among the half…stripped poles
at the seven bushels for a shillinga rate paid in good seasons when the
hops are in prime condition； and a rate likewise paid in bad seasons by the
growers because they cannot afford more。
I passed through Teston and East and West Farleigh shortly after the
storm； and listened to the grumbling of the hoppers and saw the hops
rotting on the ground。 At the hothouses of Barham Court； thirty thousand
panes of glass had been broken by the hail； while peaches； plums； pears；
apples； rhubarb； cabbages； mangolds； everything； had been pounded to
pieces and torn to shreds。
All of which was too bad for the owners； certainly； but at the worst；
not one of them； for one meal； would have to go short of food or drink。
Yet it was to them that the newspapers devoted columns of sympathy； their
pecuniary losses being detailed at harrowing length。 〃Mr。 Herbert L…
calculates his loss at 8000 pounds；〃 〃Mr。 F…； of brewery fame； who rents
all the land in this parish； loses 10；000 pounds；〃 and 〃Mr。 L…； the
Wateringbury brewer； brother to Mr。 Herbert L…； is another heavy loser。〃
As for the hoppers； they did not count。 Yet I venture to assert that the
several almost…square meals lost by underfed William Buggles； and
underfed Mrs。 Buggles； and the underfed Buggles kiddies； was a greater
tragedy than the 10；000 pounds lost by Mr。 F…。 And in addition； underfed
William Buggles' tragedy might be multiplied by thousands where Mr。 F…'s
could not be multiplied by five。
To see how William Buggles and his kind fared； I donned my seafaring
togs and