The Transvaal from Within: A Private Record of Public Affairs

he began to understand what it means to the unemploye

ars, she found several dejected-looking women turning over a heap of periodicals at a table. The "dailies" were spread on stands against the walls, and at a smaller table under the window lay a number of slips, with pens and ink, fo

neral servant willing to pay twenty pounds a year for the privilege of doing the work. This advertisement was headed "Home offered to a Lady," and a few seconds were required to grasp the stupendous impudence of it. A side-street stationer, in want of a sales-woman, advertised for an "Apprentice at a moderate premium"; and the usual percentage of City firms dangled

and a bun. And after an inevitable outlay on stamps and stationery,

several openings one at least should be practicable. She did not fail to make the calculation that most novices make in such circumstances; she reduced

colour and in the prices of the materials that they offered for sale. In all particulars essential to prove them fraud

t her evenings vainly listening for the postman's knock. She attributed her repeated failures to there being no mention of references in her replies; they were so concise and nicely written that she felt sure they could not have failed from any other reason. Probably her nicely-written notes were never read: merely tossed with scores of others, all unopened, into the wastepaper basket, after a selection had been m

eautiful "Wanted." When it was handed to her, she hardly dared to hope that

and have no objection to travel on the Continent. Apply

wrote that they judged by Miss Brettan's application that she would suit their client; and t

have sent it; as it was, instead of remitting

manner. Mary began by saying that she was the applicant who had received his letter about "C.B.'s" advertisement; but as this announcement did not seem sufficiently

one. No, it was not a certainty, as she appeared to have understood, but he did not think she had much occa

d that if she wanted someone who k

nt to say, your type-writin

nd, and I am not a typist'! You must be confusing me with someo

ps he

sn't learnt shorthand or type-writing," he said in an injured tone. "O

y did you ask me to s

in who deposited an armful of letters on the table. The gentleman seemed pleased to see them, and she came away wonder

was the object of her journey had just been filled. Even when one walks to Battersea, and dines for twopence, however, the sta

e with Carew. What a pawnbroker would lend her on it she did not know, but she supposed a sovereign. Had she been better off, she would have supposed two sovereigns, for she was as ignorant of its value as of the method of pledging it; but being destitute,

it was with the intention of buying something! She was nerving herself to the necessary pitch when, giving a final glance over her shoulder, she s

She went hurriedly in. There was a row of narrow doors extending down a passage, and, pulling one open, she found the tiny compartment occupied by a woman and a bundle. Starting back, she adve

to attract attention. A young man lou

uch?"

pou

of it. She thought very little of it herself directly it was in his hand. His han

gs," he said

le," she murmured. "Surely

to ta

e watch ac

u," she s

had agreed, and she wished she had declined the offer. To call him bac

and ad

ed to find the transaction wasn't concluded; he asked her for a halfpenny, and, with the blood in her face, she signified that she had no change. At last though, s

punctuality peculiar to cheap landladies when the lodger is out, had already brought up the tra

.

ed

er..

k 3

e

i

r....

il next W

case of "must" than if it had been simply expedient, and the futility of the feminine "must," when she was already doing all she could do, served to accentuate her helplessness. She prayed passionately, without being able to feel much confidence in the efficacy of prayer, and told herself that she did not deserve that God should listen to her, because she was guilty, and s

e day broke-a sunless and chilly day-when she rose and went out possessed of one penny, without any means of adding to it. This penny might be reserved to dimini

agraphs swam together. The next instant, standing out clearly from t

some experience of invalids preferred. Apply pers

felt, the obstacle of having no references could be surmounted with far less trouble than by letter. A string of frank allusions to the difficulty, a dozen

d the miles that she would have to walk. To start so early, however, would be u

o go. Many of them never turned a leaf, but sat at the table dreamily eyeing a journal; as if they had forgotten that it was there. She; watched the p

genta feathers in her hat bounced in, tracing her way down the columns with a heavy fore-finger, and departing nonchalantly with a blotted list. This was a domestic servant, Mary understood. A shabby man of sinister expression covered an area of possibilities: a broken-down tutor perhaps, a professional man gone to the bad. He looked like Mephistopheles in the prompter's clothes, she thought, contemplating him

learnt that she was not half-way to Finchley. It was nothing but a name to her, and steadily trudging along a road that extended itself before her eternally she began to fear that she would never reach her goal at all. To add to the discomfort, it was snowing slightly now, a

other stunted villas being similarly endowed with a name befitting, a domain; and suspense catching discourag

of the family Bible on the crochet tablecover. She wore silk, dark and short-plain, except for three narrow bands of velvet at the hem. She wore a gold watch-chain hanging round her neck, garlanded over her portly bo

mother's advertisement f

e of nursing. I think I should

ver lived a

, but-but I think I'm companionable; I d

you sit down?-what

stened h

no friends I can refer people to, and-well, people always seem to think the fact of being a stranger in a city is rather a discreditable thing. I have found that! They do." She looked for a gleam of response in the st

d: "You have been a nurse

"no. Of course, that

e already to-day. Do I understand you to mean th

consider it an insuperable difficulty? You know you

t a 'character.' I have never

ly," said Mary, with hasty d

the point; my mother i

take servants without 'characters' oc

ade her an offer of marriage. She had been here even longer than eight years-twelve I think it was, or thirteen. It was believed at the time that what first attracted the young man's attention to her was the many y

-it's a matter of life and death to me,"

ion!" She rose. "You'll find it helpful to be less haughty when you speak, less opinionat

lent. It was my last hope, that's all

"The hateful woman! Oh, the wretch! To have to sue to a creature like that!" Well, she would starve now, she supposed, her excitement spending itself. She would die of starvation, like characters in fiction, or the people one read of in the newspapers; the newspapers called it "exposure," but it was the same thing; "exposure" sounded less offensive to the other people who read about it, that was all. The force of education is so strong that, much as she insisted on such a death, and close as she had approached to it,

as overpowering her. And still how many miles? Each of the benches that she passed was a fresh temptation; a

her she would ever get up again-did not think about it, and did not care. Her limbs ached for reli

smartly down a footpath, gazing to right and left as for something that should be waiting for him. Not seeing it, he whistled, and Mary look

"for ye tae be sittin' there.

ry," sh

ted her u

t's verra certain. Hoots! ye're shakin' wi' it noo! Bide

it. And, astonishing to relate, the black bag was fitted with a

ne?" she aske

ye. It's a braw sample o' Pilcher's S.O.P., ma lassie; nothin' finer in the trade, on

ingly. Its strength diffused itself through her in ripples of heat,

bottle solemnly, shaking his head at it

goin'?" he queried,

e answered. "I was walki

a lift along o' me an' the l

there?" she as

'. Ay, I ha'e tae gang there, and as fast as

id; "thank yo

e companion, accompanied by an urchin who

you," she murmured, rej

it's verra welcome ye are. I'm thinki

has made me feel

s to serve ye cheaper, I'm no' denyin' that; but tae them that can place the rale article there's nae house like Pilcher's. And Pilcher's best canna be beaten in the trade. I ha'e nae interest tae lie tae ye, ye ken

business th

e one; "there, put it awa'. Should ye ever be in need

f you!" she

, and whether it's for yoursel' ye need it, or a recomme

and looked away again. And they dr

sherry at a figure that'll tak' th' breath frae them. Ye canna suspect the profit-th' weecked ineequitous profit-that sherry's retailed at; wi' three quotations tae the brand

said, "happen

y; a large family maybe, wi' a cellar. For a larg

y, but I d

her curiously. "Then, ma dear young leddy, ye'll no' t

perhaps he might be able to put her int

" she answered, "looking f

herson, "that's bad

t lapsed into reverie. She called herself a fool for he

?" he demanded, after they

n't let me take you out

clared. "Ye had best come in an' warm before y

, b

ll nae mind it. Ye j

rap to the care of the boy, who might have been a mute for any indication he had given to the

a rosy offspring, addressed as Charlotte, brought her progenitor a pai

said, "I gave a lift to.

an: "Your husband was kind enough to save me from walking h

cht for a walk,"

ponded the woman in cheery Cockney. "Come

hey grew speedily at ease. It reminded the guest of some of her arrivals on tour; of one in particular, when the previous week's company had not left and she and Tony had traversed half Oldham in searc

s in the wine business," sh

hat line," returned the woman, "or the best part of your

a good deal

he is! All the rest of it traipsing about from place to place like a wandering gipsy. Ch

er mouth full of bread-and-marmalade

or "his wines and speerits" had vanished. "Awa' frae your wife an' bairn, pandering tae th' veecious courses that ruin the immortal soul!

d Charlotte,

vellers themselves succumb tae th' cussed sippin' and tastin' frae mornin' till nicht? There was Burbage, I

ly away, Paul!" int

ony's the time, when I'm talkin' tae a mon in the way o' business, ye ken, I turn the damned glass upside down when he is na lookin'. But there's the folk I sell tae, an' the ithers

little woman weakly. "Come, light your pipe comfor

er waved th

ae ye justeefy thy wilfu' conduct? Why dae ye gloreefy the profeets o' th' airth above thy speeritual salvation, mon? Dae ye no ken that orphans are goin' dinnerless through thy eloq

hen you're most try

s wi' a siller tongue? There was a mon are day at the Peacock-a mon in ma ain inseedious line-an' he swilled his bottle o' sherry, an' he called for his whusky-an'-watter, and he got up on his feet speechify in'

s arms were extended in representation of it, and he waved them aloft as if to in

e people out of ten have to be what they can, you k

inquired what her

I haven't any," she answ

a moment's

went on; "it's very hard to get anythi

t bear up. It's a long lane th

here the turning may lead;

Pattenden's?" suggest

y. "Do you think I can ge

am

ted. "An' what; would s

to be sure-sam

m one to the oth

fancy ye could sell books, young leddy, on commeession-a hauf-sovereign, say, for

could. Half a sovereign each one?

address. They are publishers, and ye just ax for their Mr. Collins when ye go there; tell him ye're wishful tae represent

o!" sh

t's different tae ma ain position wi' the wines an' speerits, ye ken

penses!" affirmed Cha

t o' sax-and-twenty shillin's a day tae an economical parent. But w

r than nothing! I'll go there to-morrow, the first thing. Very m

but what you may be doing first-rate after

e publishers pay a salary, th

des, James has been with Pilcher's ten years now; h

h a heap more people buy spirits

ma la

going to b

ee

, "won't we all drink to t

lly, "are ye no' ashamed tae mak' sic a proposeetio

indeed!" a

what ye'r

said; "I wil

aimed; "a sma' sample, ye an' Mr

a bottle out, and the hostess produced

e bottle irresolutely. "Eh, but it's the 'Four Grape Balance,'" he murmured with reluctant admiration, eyeing the sample against the light. "There! Ye may baith o' ye drink it doon! But masel', I wouldna touch a drap. An' as for ye, ye wee Cockney bairn, if I catch ye tastin'

e might not be obliged to weep; and Mrs. Macpher

they all

heroine. "I am," she said to herself, "just a real unhappy woman, in very desperate straits.