The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists
By half-past twelve everything was squared up, and having loaded up the cart they set out together for the yard. It was an unusually fine day for the time of year, and as they passed along the Grand Parade, which faced due south, they felt quite warm. The Parade was crowded with richly dressed people, whose countenances in many instances bore unmistakable signs of gluttony and excess. Mingling with and part of this crowd were a number of well-fed looking individuals dressed in long garments of black cloth of the finest texture and broad brimmed soft felt hats. Most of these persons had gold rings on their soft white fingers and glove-like kid or calfskin boots on their feet. They were the 'followers' and 'servants' of the lowly Carpenter of Nazareth—the Man of Sorrows, who had not where to lay His head.
None of these black garbed 'disciples' were associating with the groups of unemployed carpenters, bricklayers, plasterers and painters who stood here and there in the carriage way, dressed in mean and shabby clothing and with faces pale with privation. Many of these latter were known to Crass and his mates with the cart, and nodded to them as they passed or came over and walked a little distance by their side, enquiring whether there was any news of another job at Rushton's.
When they were about half way down the Parade, just near the Fountain, they encountered a number of men on whose arms were white bands with the word 'Collector' in black letters. They carried collecting boxes and accosted the people in the street, begging for money for the unemployed. These men were skirmishers for the main body, which could be seen some distance behind.
As the procession drew near, Sawkins steered the cart into the kerb and halted as they went past. There were about three hundred men altogether, marching four abreast. They carried three large white banners with black letters: 'Thanks to our Subscribers,' 'In aid of Genuine Unemployed,' 'The Children must be Fed.' Although there were a number of artizans in the procession, the majority of the men belonged to what is called the unskilled labourer class. The skilled artizan does not as a rule take part in such a procession except as a last resource. There was also a sprinkling of the unfortunate outcasts of society, tramps and destitute loafers.
Haggard and pale, shabbily or raggedly dressed, their
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