Page:A Child of the Jago - Arthur Morrison.djvu/318

 string for tying up the boxes into regular numbered batches, and the time employed in fetching the work and taking it back again. And if seven gross were to be got, and could be done in a day—and it was really not very difficult for the skillful hand who kept at work long enough—the day's income was one and threepence three farthings, less expenses: still better that than the shirts. But the work was hard to get. As the public-spirited manufacturers complained: people would buy Swedish matches, whereas if people would support home industries and buy no matches but theirs they would be able to order many twopence-farthings worth of boxes more.

There might be collateral sources of income, but these were doubtful and irregular. Probably Dicky would bring in a few coppers now and again. Then judicious attendance at churches, chapels and prayer-meetings beyond the Jago