The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists

Pl

that his mother earned a scanty living as a needle-woman. When Frank was thirteen he went to work for a master decorato

paid for it. But of late years the number of his customers had dwindled considerably, for there had arisen a new generation which cared nothing about craftsmanship or art, and everything for cheapness and profi

e artistic kinds of work, still the fact that he was capable of doing them, if required, made it comparatively easy for him to obtain employment. Owen and his wife were very happy. They had one chil

sort. At last, about twelve months before the date that this story opens, he determined to leave his wi

the legend: 'No hands wanted'. He walked the streets day after day; pawned or sold all his clothes save those he stood

mosphere of the city combined to defeat him. Symptoms of the disease that had killed his father began to manifest thems

for Rushton & Co. Occasionally when they had no work

y he felt that the disease he suffered from was obtaining a stronger grip on him. The doctor told him t

r her. And the boy--what hope was there for him? Often as Owen moodily thought of their circumstance

tly watching the sufferings of his wife, and appall

the day when old Linden was dismissed. There was no reason to believe or ho

e life was one long struggle against poverty. Yet practically none of these people knew or even troubled themselves to inquire why the

hat the majority of his fellow workers were devoid of the power of reasoning. If these people were not mentally deficient they would of

eventually die of want. In every workhouse might be found people who had at one tim

his children would never want for bread. There were thousands living

the fact that he was wet through to the skin. He was without an overcoat, it was pawned in Londo

in which he lived there was a newsagent's shop and

DOMESTI

URDER AN

was a frequent customer here, and as he

handed Owen the paper. 'It makes thing

a lot of men idle, but fortunate

job here for some of 'em as soon as the weather gets a little better. All the o

Owen. 'Who's g

You know, they've got

Owen, grimly. He had worked f

keeper went on. 'He said they're going to

said Owen, 'because thing

od night', Owen again

esolutely: he was thinking of the news

here was sure to be a rush for it, and it would be a case of first come, firs

e unless he was one of the first to apply, Linden would not stand such a good chance as a younger man. Owen said to himself that if he walked very

h he was but a few yards from his own home, he decided not to go in be

The tiny creature came towards him and began walking about his feet, looking into his face and crying piteously. He stooped down and stroked it, shuddering as his hands came in contact wi

and as he picked it up and put it inside

l. Had He the power but not the will to make His creatures happy? Then He was not good. No; it was impossible to believe in the existence of an individual, infinite God.. In fact, no one did so believe; and least of all those who pretended for various reasons to be the disciples and followers of Christ. The anti-Christs who went about singing hymns, making long prayers and crying Lord, Lord, but never doing the things which He said, who were known by their words to be unbelievers and