The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists
and chairs to put away, the floor to sweep, and so on; but the extra work was supposed to be compensated by the cakes and broken victuals generally left over from the feast, which were much appreciated as a welcome change from the bread and dripping or margarine that constituted Mrs White's and Bert's usual fare.
There were several advantages attached to the position; the caretaker became acquainted with the leading members and their wives, some of whom, out of charity, occasionally gave her a day's work as charwoman, the wages being on about the same generous scale as those she earned at the chapel, occasionally supplemented by a parcel of broken victuals or some cast-off clothing. The possibility that her employers took advantage of her poverty to impose upon her conditions of price and labour which a woman in a more independent position would not have endured, never occurred to Mrs White. On the contrary her heart was filled with gratitude towards her generous benefactors.
During the prayer the door was softly opened and a gentleman in clerical dress entered on tip toe and knelt down next to Mr Didlum. He came in very softly but all the same most of those present heard him and lifted their heads or peeped through their fingers to see who it was, and when they recognised him a sound like a sigh swept through the hall.
At the end of the prayer, amid groans and cries of 'Amen,' the balloon slowly descended from the platform and collapsed into one of the seats, and everyone rose up from the floor. When all were seated and the shuffling, coughing, and blowing of noses had ceased, Mr Didlum stood up and said:
'Before we sing the closin' 'ymn, the gentleman hon my left, the Rev. Mr John Starr, will say a few words.'
An expectant murmur rippled through the hall. The ladies lifted their eyebrows and nodded, smiled and whispered to each other; the gentlemen assumed various attitudes and expressions; and the children were very quiet. Everyone was in a state of suppressed excitement as John Starr rose from his seat and stepping up on to the platform, stood by the side of the table, facing them.
He was about twenty-six years of age, tall and slenderly built. His clean cut, intellectual face, with its lofty forehead and air of refinement and culture, were in striking contrast to the coarse appearance of the other adults in the room.
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