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you've seen； and of her and all the little happenings at home while you've
been away； and〃
〃Garn！〃 he cried； with a playful shove of his fist on my shoulder。
〃Wot's yer game； eh？ A missus kissin' an' kids clim'in'； an' kettle singin'；
all on four poun' ten a month w'en you 'ave a ship； an' four nothin' w'en
you 'aven't。 I'll tell you wot I'd get on four poun' tena missus rowin'；
kids squallin'； no coal t' make the kettle sing； an' the kettle up the spout；
that's wot I'd get。 Enough t' make a bloke bloomin' well glad to be back t'
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sea。 A missus！ Wot for？ T' make you mis'rable？ Kids？ Jest take
my counsel； matey； an' don't 'ave 'em。 Look at me！ I can 'ave my beer
w'en I like； an' no blessed missus an' kids a…crying for bread。 I'm 'appy； I
am； with my beer an' mates like you； an' a good ship comin'； an' another
trip to sea。 So I say； let's 'ave another pint。 Arf an' arf's good enough for
me。〃
Without going further with the speech of this young fellow of two…
and…twenty； I think I have sufficiently indicated his philosophy of life and
the underlying economic reason for it。 Home life he had never known。
The word 〃home〃 aroused nothing but unpleasant associations。 In the
low wages of his father； and of other men in the same walk in life； he
found sufficient reason for branding wife and children as encumbrances
and causes of masculine misery。 An unconscious hedonist； utterly
unmoral and materialistic； he sought the greatest possible happiness for
himself； and found it in drink。
A young sot； a premature wreck； physical inability to do a stoker's
work； the gutter or the workhouse； and the endhe saw it all as clearly as I；
but it held no terrors for him。 From the moment of his birth； all the
forces of his environment had tended to harden him； and he viewed his
wretched； inevitable future with a callousness and unconcern I could not
shake。
And yet he was not a bad man。 He was not inherently vicious and
brutal。 He had normal mentality； and a more than average physique。 His
eyes were blue and round； shaded by long lashes； and wide apart。 And
there was a laugh in them； and a fund of humour behind。 The brow and
general features were good； the mouth and lips sweet； though already
developing a harsh twist。 The chin was weak； but not too weak； I have
seen men sitting in the high places with weaker。
His head was shapely； and so gracefully was it poised upon a perfect
neck that I was not surprised by his body that night when he stripped for
bed。 I have seen many men strip； in gymnasium and training quarters；
men of good blood and upbringing； but I have never seen one who
stripped to better advantage than this young sot of two…and…twenty； this
young god doomed to rack and ruin in four or five short years； and to pass
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hence without posterity to receive the splendid heritage it was his to
bequeath。
It seemed sacrilege to waste such life； and yet I was forced to confess
that he was right in not marrying on four pounds ten in London Town。
Just as the scene…shifter was happier in making both ends meet in a room
shared with two other men； than he would have been had he packed a
feeble family along with a couple of men into a cheaper room； and failed
in making both ends meet。
And day by day I became convinced that not only is it unwise； but it is
criminal for the people of the Abyss to marry。 They are the stones by the
builder rejected。 There is no place for them； in the social fabric； while all
the forces of society drive them downward till they perish。 At the bottom
of the Abyss they are feeble； besotted； and imbecile。 If they reproduce；
the life is so cheap that perforce it perishes of itself。 The work of the
world goes on above them； and they do not care to take part in it； nor are
they able。 Moreover； the work of the world does not need them。 There
are plenty； far fitter than they； clinging to the steep slope above； and
struggling frantically to slide no more。
In short； the London Abyss is a vast shambles。 Year by year； and
decade after decade； rural England pours in a flood of vigorous strong life；
that not only does not renew itself； but perishes by the third generation。
Competent authorities aver that the London workman whose parents and
grand…parents were born in London is so remarkable a specimen that he is
rarely found。
Mr。 A。 C。 Pigou has said that the aged poor； and the residuum which
compose the 〃submerged tenth；〃 constitute 71 per cent； of the population
of London。 Which is to say that last year； and yesterday； and to…day； at
this very moment； 450；000 of these creatures are dying miserably at the
bottom of the social pit called 〃London。〃 As to how they die； I shall take
an instance from this morning's paper。
SELF…NEGLECT
Yesterday Dr。 Wynn Westcott held an inquest at Shoreditch； respecting
the death of Elizabeth Crews； aged 77 years； of 32 East Street； Holborn；
who died on Wednesday last。 Alice Mathieson stated that she was
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landlady of the house where deceased lived。 Witness last saw her alive
on the previous Monday。 She lived quite alone。 Mr。 Francis Birch；
relieving officer for the Holborn district； stated that deceased had occupied
the room in question for thirty… five years。 When witness was called； on
the 1st； he found the old woman in a terrible state； and the ambulance and
coachman had to be disinfected after the removal。 Dr。 Chase Fennell said
death was due to blood…poisoning from bed…sores； due to self…neglect and
filthy surroundings； and the jury returned a verdict to that effect。
The most startling thing about this little incident of a woman's death
is the smug complacency