The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists
in the act of kissing and embracing Miss Wade, the young lady clerk. Crass watched them for some time and then whispered to Budd to call Slyme, and when the latter came they all three took turns at peeping through the crack in the partition.
When they had looked their fill they came out from behind the showcase, almost bursting with suppressed merriment. Budd reached down a key from where it was hanging on the wall and gave it to Crass and the two resumed their interrupted journey. But before they had proceeded a dozen yards from the shop, they were accosted by a short, elderly man, with grey hair and a beard. This man looked about sixty-five years of age, and was very shabbily dressed. The elbows of his coat were worn threadbare, the ends of his sleeves and the legs of his trousers were frayed and ragged and his boots were patched, broken, and down at heel. This man's name was Latham; he was a venetian blind maker and repairer. With his son, he was supposed to be 'in business' on his own account, but as most of their work was done 'for the trade,' that is, for such firms as Rushton and Company, they would be more correctly described as men who did piecework at home. He had been 'in business'—as he called it—for about forty years, working, working, always working; and ever since his son became old enough to labour, he had helped his father in the philanthropic task of manufacturing profits for the sweaters who employed them. They had been so busy working for the benefit of others, that they had overlooked the fact that they were only earning a bare living for themselves; and now, after forty years' hard labour, the old man was clothed in rags and on the verge of destitution.
'Is Rushton there?' he asked.
'Yes, I think so,' replied Crass, attempting to pass on; but the old man detained him.
'He promised to let us know about them blinds for "The Cave." We gave 'im a price for 'em about a month ago. In fact we gave 'im two prices, because he said the first was too high. Five and six a set I asked 'im, take 'em right through the 'ole 'ouse one with another, big and little. Two coats of paint, and new tapes and cords. That wasn't too much, was it?'
'No,' said Crass, walking on, 'that was cheap enough!'
'He said it was too much,' continued Latham; 'said as 'e
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