y
slush called a "cup of tea." Dinner: A slice of alleged roast beef or
boiled mutton, of no particular colour or taste; three new spuds,
of which the largest is about the size of an ordinary hen's egg, the
smallest that of a bantam's, and the middle one in between, and which
eat soggy and have no taste to speak of, save that they are a trifle
bitter; a dab of unhealthy-looking green something, which might be
either cabbage leaves or turnip-tops, and a glass of water. The whole
mess is lukewarm, including the water--it would all be better cold. Tea:
A thin slice of the aforesaid alleged roast or mutton, and the pick
of about six thin slices of stale bread--evidently cut the day before
yesterday. This is the way Mrs Jones "does" for us for eighteen
shillings a week. The bread gave out at tea-time this evening, and a
mild financial boarder tapped his plate with his knife, and sent the
bread plate out to be replenished. It came back with _one_ slice on it.

The mild financial boarder, with desperate courage, is telling the
landlady that he'll have to shift next week--it is too far to go to
work, he cannot always get down in time; he is very sorry he has to go,
he says; he is very comfortable here, but it can't be helped; anyway, as
soon as he can get work nearer, he'll come back at once; also (oh, what
cowards men are when women are concerned), he says he wishes she could
shift and take a house down at the other end of the town. She says
(at least here are some fragments of her gabble which we caught and
shorthanded): "Well, I'm very sorry to lose you, Mr Sampson, very sorry
indeed; but of course if you must go, you must. Of course you can't be
expected to walk that distance every morning, and you mustn't be getting
to work late, and losing your place... Of course we could get breakfast
an hour earlier if... well, as I said before, I'm sorry to lose you and,
indeed... You won't forget to come and see us... glad to see you at any
time... Well, any way, if you ever want to come back, you know, your bed
will be always ready for you, and you'll be treated just the same, and
made just as comfortable--you won't forget that" (he says he won't);
"and you won't forget to come to dinner sometimes" (he says he won't);
"and, of course... You know I always try... Don't forget to drop in
sometimes... Well, anyway, if you ever do happen to hear of a decent
young fellow who wants a good, clean, comfortable home, you'll be sure
to send hi