Page:Gissing - The Nether World, vol. II, 1889.djvu/31

 to paper wires and make “centres.” This toil always results in blistered fingers, and frequent was the child’s appeal to her neighbour for sympathy.

“It’ll be easier soon,” said the latter, on one of these occasions, bending her head to speak in a low voice. “You should have seen what blisters I had when I began.”

“It’s all very well to say that. I can’t do no more, so there! Oh, when’ll it be five o’clock?”

“It’s a quarter to. Try and go on, Annie.”

Five clock did come at length, and with it twenty minutes’ rest for tea. The rule at Whitehead’s was, that you could either bring your own tea, sugar, and eatables, or purchase them here from a forewoman; most of the workers chose to provide themselves. It was customary for each “party” to club together, emptying their several contributions of tea out of little twists of newspaper into one teapot. Wholesome bustle and confusion succeeded to the former silence. One of the