Page:The English Peasant.djvu/198

 Thus it would appear that a clever and industrious man on the Weald, who has his wits about him, can find something to do all the year round; and according to the Report of the Agricultural Commission such a labourer can earn on an average sixteen shillings a week. However, the labourer will tell you that there are important drawbacks not taken into account, such as having to provide his own tools in connection with the hopping work, and, if it is a wet season, firing, night after night, to dry his wet clothes.

Moreover, this estimate supposes a man not only to be industrious but clever, and must therefore be taken as the maximum of wages to be earned in the Weald. Besides, it does not take into account accident or illness. The regular day-wage varies from twelve to thirteen shillings and sixpence the week, and the amount is made up by extras, earned by piece-work connected with the hop-gardens, hay-making, and harvest. The wife generally helps at these seasons. At hop-picking and tying she can earn about £4.

No doubt among rural labourers, as amongst every other class, there are rich and poor. The rich are those who just pay their way, the poor those who are ever on the verge of pauperism. The rich are the rare exception, the poor the vast majority. When the family is young, and there is only one pair of hands to supply the food, it constantly exists in a state of semi-starvation.

Thus, at May field, in the depth of the winter, I went into a cottage, where I found a mother and eight children—four boys and four girls. They had only eighteen-pence each a week for meals. The children were having their dinner, which consisted of a dole of bread and cheese.

Happily there is much fellow-feeling among labouring families. If any one gets down very low, those who are well off come to the rescue. Here is a verse of a song the miller gave me. It may be called "A Poor Man's Song." Its note is sympathy produced by a past and a too probable future experience.

"Oh come, come to the ingle-side, &emsp;&emsp;For the night is dark and drear; The snow is deep and the mountains wide, &emsp;&emsp;Then stay and rest thee here;