The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists

Chapter 9 No.9

Word Count: 915 | Released on: 01/12/2017

is t

They greeted each other in a friendly way and after a few remarks concerning the work that

ou made up your mind what you

bout that afterwards. What I'm anxious about

it going

ht gesture calling Sweater's attention to the p

Rushton continued, addressing Owen and Easton. 'Go

and remarked: 'It's always as well not to le

er ag

e part of the work that' actually on your ground. When that's done, there will 'ave to be a pipe carried right alo

's it going to c

5.0.0. and for the connecting pi

lower you can

ost carefully, the time and materials, an

estimating the cost of this work: he had not the necessary knowledge to do

Rushton with a cunning leer. 'I don't see why I should have to pay for th

'I don't see why

ent on. 'Anyhow, the work will have to be done, so you'd bett

it and we'll see what can be don

fficult to deal with,' said Rushton wit

ppointment. He wished them 'Good morning' in an awkward hesitating undertone as if he were doubtful how his greeting would be received. Sweater

otice might be taken of him. His dismal countenance became even longer than usual when he observed that they were about to leave the hous

Hunt

ssessed a tail, it is probable that he would have wagged it. Rushton gav

ood quietly watching him for about ten minutes as he worked. The man was painting the skirting, and just then he came to a part that was split in several places, so he took his knife and began to fill the cr

them!' he shouted. 'Fill 'em up with the paint. We c

made no

ll they were worth. As he wandered up and down the house like an evil spirit, he was followe

th a malignant expression, silently watching Owen and

worried Owen considerably. He wondered uneasily what it meant, and began to fe

Chapter End

Claim Your Bonus at the APP

Open

The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists

Robert Tressell Literature

“In writing this book my intention was to present, in the form of an interesting story, a faithful picture of working-class life-more especially of those engaged in the Building trades-in a small town in the south of England. I wished to describe the relations existing between the workmen and their employers, the attitude and feelings of these two classes towards each other; their circumstances when at work and when out of employment; their pleasures, their intellectual outlook, their religious and political opinions and ideals. The action of the story covers a period of only a little over twelve months, but in order that the picture might be complete it was necessary to describe how the workers are circumstanced at all periods of their lives, from the cradle to the grave. Therefore the characters include women and children, a young boy-the apprentice-some improvers, journeymen in the prime of life, and worn-out old men. I designed to show the conditions relating from poverty and unemployment: to expose the futility of the measures taken to deal with them and to indicate what I believe to be the only real remedy, namely-Socialism. I intended to explain what Socialists understand by the word 'poverty': to define the Socialist theory of the causes of poverty, and to explain how Socialists propose to abolish poverty. It may be objected that, considering the number of books dealing with these subjects already existing, such a work as this was uncalled for. The answer is that not only are the majority of people opposed to Socialism, but a very brief conversation with an average anti-socialist is sufficient to show that he does not know what Socialism means. The same is true of all the anti-socialist writers and the 'great statesmen' who make anti-socialist speeches: unless we believe that they are deliberate liars and imposters, who to serve their own interests labour to mislead other people, we must conclude that they do not understand Socialism.”