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as often awakened out of his beauty sleep in the middle of the night by the clattering noise of the workmen's boots as they passed his house on their way to work in the morning。 ‘Morpheus' wrote that not only did they make a dreadful noise with their horrible iron…clad boots； but they were in the habit of coughing and spitting a great deal； which was very unpleasant to hear； and they conversed in loud tones。 Sometimes their conversation was not at all edifying； for it consisted largely of bad language； which ‘Morpheus' assumed to be attributable to the fact that they were out of temper because they had to rise so early。
As a rule they worked till half…past five in the evening； and by the time they reached home it was six o'clock。 When they had taken their evening meal and had a wash it was nearly eight： about nine most of them went to bed so as to be able to get up about half past four the next morning to make a cup of tea before leaving home at half past five to go to work again。 Frequently it happened that they had to leave home earlier than this； because their ‘job' was more than half an hour's walk away。 It did not matter how far away the ‘job' was from the shop； the men had to walk to and fro in their own time； for Trades Union rules were a dead letter in Mugsborough。 There were no tram fares or train fares or walking time allowed for the likes of them。
Ninety…nine out of every hundred of them did not believe in such things as those： they had much more sense than to join Trades Unions： on the contrary； they believed in placing themselves entirely at the mercy of their good； kind Liberal and Tory masters。
Very frequently it happened； when only a few men were working together； that it was not convenient to make tea for breakfast or dinner； and then some of them brought tea with them ready made in bottles and drank it cold； but most of them went to the nearest pub and ate their food there with a glass of beer。 Even those who would rather have had tea or coffee had beer； because if they went to a temperance restaurant or coffee tavern it generally happened that they were not treated very civilly unless they bought something to eat as well as to drink； and the tea at such places was really dearer than beer； and the latter was certainly quite as good to drink as the stewed tea or the liquid mud that was sold as coffee at cheap ‘Workmen's' Eating Houses。
There were some who were … as they thought … exceptionally lucky： the firms they worked for were busy enough to let them work two hours' overtime every night … till half past seven … without stopping for tea。 Most of these arrived home about eight； completely flattened out。 Then they had some tea and a wash and before they knew where they were it was about half past nine。 Then they went to sleep again till half past four or five the next morning。
They were usually so tired when they got home at night that they never had any inclination for study or any kind of self…improvement； even if they had had the time。 They had plenty of time to study during the winter： and their favourite subject then was； how to preserve themselves from starving to death。
This overtime； however； was the exception； for although in former years it had been the almost invariable rule to work till half past seven in summer； most of the firms now made a practice of ceasing work at five…thirty。 The revolution which had taken place in this matter was a favourite topic of conversation amongst the men； who spoke regretfully of the glorious past； when things were busy； and they used to work fifteen； sixteen and even eighteen hours a day。 But nowadays there were nearly as many chaps out of work in the summer as in the winter。 They used to discuss the causes of the change。 One was； of course； the fact that there was not so much building going on as formerly； and another was the speeding up and slave…driving； and the manner in which the work was now done； or rather scamped。 As old Philpot said； he could remember the time； when he was a nipper； when such a ‘job' as that at ‘The Cave' would have lasted at least six months； and they would have had more hands on it too！ But it would have been done properly； not messed up like that was： all the woodwork would have been rubbed down with pumice stone and water： all the knots cut out and the holes properly filled up； and the work properly rubbed down with glass…paper between every coat。 But nowadays the only place you'd see a bit of pumice stone was in a glass case in a museum； with a label on it。
‘Pumice Stone： formerly used by house…painters。'
Most of them spoke of those bygone times with poignant regret； but there were a few … generally fellows who had been contaminated by contact with Socialists or whose characters had been warped and degraded by the perusal of Socialist literature … who said that they did not desire to work overtime at all … ten hours a day were quite enough for them … in fact they would rather do only eight。 What they wanted； they said； was not more work； but more grub； more clothes； more leisure； more pleasure and better homes。 They wanted to be able to go for country walks or bicycle rides； to go out fishing or to go to the seaside and bathe and lie on the beach and so forth。 But these were only a very few； there were not many so selfish as this。 The majority desired nothing but to be allowed to work； and as for their children； why； ‘what was good enough for themselves oughter be good enough for the kids'。
They often said that such things as leisure； culture； pleasure and the benefits of civilization were never intended for ‘the likes of us'。
They did not … all … actually say this； but that was what their conduct amounted to； for they not only refused to help to bring about a better state of things for their children； but they ridiculed and opposed and cursed and abused those who were trying to do it for them。 The foulest words that came out of their mouths were directed against the men of their own class in the House of Commons … the Labour Members … and especially the Socialists； whom they spoke of as fellows who were too bloody lazy to work for a living； and who wanted the working classes to keep them。
Some of them said that they did not believe in helping their children to become anything better than their parents had been because in such cases the children； when they grew up； ‘looked down' upon and were ashamed of their fathers and mothers！ They seemed to think that if they loved and did their duty to their children； the probability was that the children would prove ungrateful： as if even if that were true； it would be any excuse for their indifference。
Another cause of the shortage of work was the intrusion into the trade of so many outsiders： fellows like Sawkins and the other lightweights。 Whatever other causes there were； there could be no doubt that the hurrying and scamping was a very real one。 Every ‘job' had to be done at once！ as if it were a matter of life or death！ It must be finished by a certain time。 If the ‘job' was at an empty house； Misery's yarn was that it was let！ the people were coming in at the end of the week！ therefore everything must be finished by Wedn