r of John Broot, Labour M.P., in her 83rd
year. Fell down the area. Peace, blessed Peace.

GUM.--On July 27, at No. ---- Church Road, Upper Norwood, Sophia,
widow of the late Albert Gum, L.C.C., in her 85th year. Choked
whilst eating tripe. Sadly missed!

PAVEMAN.--On July 27, at No. ---- Queen's Road, Clifton, Bristol,
Anne Rebecca, dearly beloved mother of Alfred Paveman, grocer, in
her 74th year. Accidentally burned to death! At rest at last.

But it must not be supposed from these few notices, selected from at
least a hundred, that the applicants for spells were by any means
confined to the upper and middle classes. By far the greater number of
spells were sold to the working people--to those of them who, prudent
and respectable, counted amongst their aged relatives, at least, one
or two who were insured.

Nor was the sale of spells confined to adults; for among the numbers,
that flocked to consult the trio, were countless County Council
children.

"Can you give me a spell to make teacher break her neck?" was the most
common request, though it was frequently varied with demands such as--

"I'll trouble you for a spell to pay mother out. She won't put more
than three lumps of sugar in my tea;"--or, "Mother has got very teazy
lately. I want a spell to make her fall downstairs"--or, "Father only
gives me twopence a week out of what I earn blacking boots; give me a
spell to make him have an accident whilst he's at work." And it was
not seldom that the trio were petitioned thus: "Please give us a spell
to make our parents die quickly. Teacher says at school 'perfect
freedom is the birthright of all Englishmen,' and we can't have
perfect freedom whilst our parents are alive."[22]

The statistics of those who died from the effects of accidents for the
week ending August 1, of this year, in London alone, were--over sixty
years of age, five thousand; between the ages of twenty-five and
sixty, six thousand; and, for the latter deaths, children alone were
responsible.

The greatest number of these accidents occurred in Poplar, West Ham,
Battersea, and Whitechapel; and at length the working class applicants
became so numerous that the Modern Sorcery Company could not cope with
them, and were forced to raise their charges.

Among other customers, as one might expect, were many militant
Suffragettes; whom Hamar and Curtis palmed off on Kelson.

"Give me a spell," demanded a hatchet-faced la