mouth. I've got no work; and nothin' to keep them on.
MAGISTRATE. How is that?
LIVENS. [Ashamedly.] My wife, she broke my 'ome up, and pawned the things.
MAGISTRATE. But what made you let her?
LEVINS. Your Worship, I'd no chance to stop 'er, she did it when I was out lookin' for work.
MAGISTRATE. Did you ill-treat her?
LIVENS. [Emphatically.] I never raised my 'and to her in my life, your Worship.
MAGISTRATE. Then what was it—did she drink?
LIVENS. Yes, your Worship.
MAGISTRATE. Was she loose in her behaviour?
LIVENS. [In a low voice.] Yes, your Worship.
MAGISTRATE. And where is she now?
LIVENS. I don't know your Worship. She went off with a man, and after that I—
MAGISTRATE. Yes, yes. Who knows anything of her? [To the bald CONSTABLE.] Is she known here?
RELIEVING OFFICER. Not in this district, your Worship; but I have ascertained that she is well known—
MAGISTRATE. Yes—yes; we'll stop at that. Now [To the Father] you say that she has broken up your home, and left these little girls. What provision can you make for them? You look a strong man.
LIVENS. So I am, your Worship. I'm willin' enough to work, but for the life of me I can't get anything to do.
MAGISTRATE. But have you tried?
LIVENS. I've tried everything, your Worship—I've tried my 'ardest.
MAGISTRATE. Well, well— [There is a silence.]
RELIEVING OFFICER. If your Worship thinks it's a case, my people are willing to take them.
MAGISTRATE. Yes, yes, I know; but I've no evidence that this man is not the proper guardian for his children.
[He rises oval goes back to the fire.]
RELIEVING OFFICER. The mother, your Worship, is able to get access to them.
MAGISTRATE. Yes, yes; the mother, of course, is an improper person to have anything to do with them. [To the Father.] Well, now what do you say?
LIVENS. Your Worship, I can only say that if I could get work I should be only too willing to provide for them. But what can I do, your Worship? Here I am obliged to live from 'and to mouth in these 'ere common lodging-houses. I 'm a strong man—I'm willing to work —I'm half as alive again as some of 'em—but you see, your Worship, my 'airs' turned a bit, owing to the fever—[Touches his hair]—and that's against me; and I don't seem to get a chance anyhow.
MAGISTRATE. Yes-yes. [Slowly.] Well, I think it 's a case. [Staring his hardest at the little girls.] Now, are you willing that these little girls should be sent to a home.
LIVENS. Yes, your Worship, I should be very willing.
MAGISTRATE. Well, I'll remand them for a week. Bring them again to-day week; if I see no reason against it then, I'll make an order.
RELIEVING OFFICER. To-day week, your Worship.
[The bald CONSTABLE takes the little girls out by the shoulders. The father follows them. The MAGISTRATE, returning to his seat, bends over and talks to his CLERK inaudibly.]
BARTHWICK. [Speaking behind his hand.] A painful case, Roper; very distressing state of things.
ROPER. Hundreds like this in the Police Courts.
BARTHWICK. Most distressing! The more I see of it, the more important this question of the condition of the people seems to become. I shall certainly make a point of taking up the cudgels in the House. I shall move—
[The MAGISTRATE ceases talking to his CLERK.]
CLERK. Remands!
[BARTHWICK stops abruptly. There is a stir and MRS. JONES comes in by the public door; JONES, ushered by policemen, comes from the prisoner's door. They file into the dock.]
CLERK. James Jones, Jane Jones.
USHER. Jane Jones!
BARTHWICK. [In a whisper.] The purse—the purse must be kept out of it, Roper. Whatever happens you must keep that out of the papers.
[ROPER nods.]
BALD CONSTABLE. Hush!
[MRS. JONES, dressed in hey thin, black, wispy dress, and black straw hat, stands motionless with hands crossed on the front rail of
MAGISTRATE. How is that?
LIVENS. [Ashamedly.] My wife, she broke my 'ome up, and pawned the things.
MAGISTRATE. But what made you let her?
LEVINS. Your Worship, I'd no chance to stop 'er, she did it when I was out lookin' for work.
MAGISTRATE. Did you ill-treat her?
LIVENS. [Emphatically.] I never raised my 'and to her in my life, your Worship.
MAGISTRATE. Then what was it—did she drink?
LIVENS. Yes, your Worship.
MAGISTRATE. Was she loose in her behaviour?
LIVENS. [In a low voice.] Yes, your Worship.
MAGISTRATE. And where is she now?
LIVENS. I don't know your Worship. She went off with a man, and after that I—
MAGISTRATE. Yes, yes. Who knows anything of her? [To the bald CONSTABLE.] Is she known here?
RELIEVING OFFICER. Not in this district, your Worship; but I have ascertained that she is well known—
MAGISTRATE. Yes—yes; we'll stop at that. Now [To the Father] you say that she has broken up your home, and left these little girls. What provision can you make for them? You look a strong man.
LIVENS. So I am, your Worship. I'm willin' enough to work, but for the life of me I can't get anything to do.
MAGISTRATE. But have you tried?
LIVENS. I've tried everything, your Worship—I've tried my 'ardest.
MAGISTRATE. Well, well— [There is a silence.]
RELIEVING OFFICER. If your Worship thinks it's a case, my people are willing to take them.
MAGISTRATE. Yes, yes, I know; but I've no evidence that this man is not the proper guardian for his children.
[He rises oval goes back to the fire.]
RELIEVING OFFICER. The mother, your Worship, is able to get access to them.
MAGISTRATE. Yes, yes; the mother, of course, is an improper person to have anything to do with them. [To the Father.] Well, now what do you say?
LIVENS. Your Worship, I can only say that if I could get work I should be only too willing to provide for them. But what can I do, your Worship? Here I am obliged to live from 'and to mouth in these 'ere common lodging-houses. I 'm a strong man—I'm willing to work —I'm half as alive again as some of 'em—but you see, your Worship, my 'airs' turned a bit, owing to the fever—[Touches his hair]—and that's against me; and I don't seem to get a chance anyhow.
MAGISTRATE. Yes-yes. [Slowly.] Well, I think it 's a case. [Staring his hardest at the little girls.] Now, are you willing that these little girls should be sent to a home.
LIVENS. Yes, your Worship, I should be very willing.
MAGISTRATE. Well, I'll remand them for a week. Bring them again to-day week; if I see no reason against it then, I'll make an order.
RELIEVING OFFICER. To-day week, your Worship.
[The bald CONSTABLE takes the little girls out by the shoulders. The father follows them. The MAGISTRATE, returning to his seat, bends over and talks to his CLERK inaudibly.]
BARTHWICK. [Speaking behind his hand.] A painful case, Roper; very distressing state of things.
ROPER. Hundreds like this in the Police Courts.
BARTHWICK. Most distressing! The more I see of it, the more important this question of the condition of the people seems to become. I shall certainly make a point of taking up the cudgels in the House. I shall move—
[The MAGISTRATE ceases talking to his CLERK.]
CLERK. Remands!
[BARTHWICK stops abruptly. There is a stir and MRS. JONES comes in by the public door; JONES, ushered by policemen, comes from the prisoner's door. They file into the dock.]
CLERK. James Jones, Jane Jones.
USHER. Jane Jones!
BARTHWICK. [In a whisper.] The purse—the purse must be kept out of it, Roper. Whatever happens you must keep that out of the papers.
[ROPER nods.]
BALD CONSTABLE. Hush!
[MRS. JONES, dressed in hey thin, black, wispy dress, and black straw hat, stands motionless with hands crossed on the front rail of
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