And now we come to another class of inmates, and by no means the least important one, namely the able-bodied adults. The typical able-bodied "in-and-out" is usually a happy-go-lucky, devil-may-care sort of fellow, whose chief characteristic is that he is totally devoid of any wish to maintain himself. He can often work, and work well by fits and starts; but he has come to look upon the workhouse or the casual ward as his home, and when he has once got that idea into his head it is extremely difficult to get it out again.
One such, a young fellow of about thirty, has been in and out of the workhouse since he was fourteen. He is short and thick-set, strong and well-made, not bad-looking, with dark curly hair. He has all his wits about him, and if there had been no Poor Law would, undoubtedly, have been earning his own living. Several times he has disappeared for a short time, and it has been reported that he is at work. He has, however, invariably turned up again, stating upon almost every occasion that he has had "an accident" which has obliged him to throw up his work. He is by turns threatened, cajoled, lectured, and prosecuted, but all in vain. He takes it all quite good-humouredly. When last remonstrated with he mildly remarked that "he had not been in and out so wonderful many times."
Another was always in and out "because of his leg." It was quite true that he had a sore place on his leg, but the medical officer, who knew him of old, hinted that that sore place was as good as an old-age pension to him, and that it was not very likely that he would allow it to heal. He was otherwise an able-bodied, healthy man.
Another strong, active young man who "could not get work," was passing his time in a flirtation with one of the ladies on the other side of the
