James Greenwood

Name: Low-Life Deeps — Chapter 26: The Day's Work of a London "Cadger"
Author: James Greenwood

Low-Life Deeps — Chapter 26: The Day's Work of a London "Cadger" (1881)

Summary

“Low-Life Deeps — Chapter 26: The Day's Work of a London "Cadger"”, published in 1881, is a work by James Greenwood. It explores elements such as cadgers, basket and mud.

Quotes from Low-Life Deeps — Chapter 26: The Day's Work of a London "Cadger" (James Greenwood)

James Greenwood, Low-Life Deeps — Chapter 26: The Day's Work of a London "Cadger" (1881)

“ The woman carried a capacious handbasket, and she and the man, who was cheerfully puffing at his morning pipe, stepped along briskly, looking so little like beggars that, meeting them promiscuously, I should have no more thought of bestowing a penny on them for charity's sake than of asking them for one.
The drizzling rain still continuing, the pair made their way, at so nimble a pace that it was not the easiest thing in the world to keep up with them, down the Borough, towards Newington-causeway, and up the Kennington-road. ”

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Source: Wikisource

James Greenwood, Low-Life Deeps — Chapter 26: The Day's Work of a London "Cadger" (1881)

“ They are but a poor twopenny lot of robbers, lean, hard-worked and half-starved wretches, these Black Boy revellers, on whom the very beggars and cadgers, who are our landlord's best customers, look down with pity. They are the most meekly enduring mortals it is possible to imagine. There are men who are never worth their salt, as the saying is, whatever trade they may turn their hands to, and so, without doubt, it is in the profession of thieving. ”

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Source: Wikisource

James Greenwood, Low-Life Deeps — Chapter 26: The Day's Work of a London "Cadger" (1881)

“ They hurried still Kennington-ward for fully a quarter of a mile, and then diverging into a quiet street again took to the mud. In one street-a long one, certainly, and composed of houses of a superior kind - I took note, and estimated that the outcast pair received no less than nineteen donations, and this in the space of twenty-five minutes! It was not, however, in these instances of almsgiving that the cruelty of the imposition appealed most strongly to one's feelings of indignation. ”

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Source: Wikisource

James Greenwood, Low-Life Deeps — Chapter 26: The Day's Work of a London "Cadger" (1881)

“ I whispered my unobtrusive but terribly knowing companion.
"Simply this," he replied, laughing; "it means that that rascal and his wife are street singers and cadgers of the sort known as 'mud-plungers.' Fine weather don't suit 'em; they can't come out strong enough. Give em a soaking wet day, with the mud over their naked toes, or a freezing cold one, with a good breeze to set their rags flying, and I'll be bound that they make as much in a day as the sum you heard mentioned, and more, too. ”

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Source: Wikisource

James Greenwood, Low-Life Deeps — Chapter 26: The Day's Work of a London "Cadger" (1881)

“ It must not be supposed that the Black Boy is a house where villains of this breed meet and arrange their midnight maraudings, or that it is even a likely place for a desperado fleeing from the huntsmen of Scotland Yard to seek and find safe harbourage until the ill-wind has blown over, and the huntsmen are put off the scent. ”

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Source: Wikisource

James Greenwood, Low-Life Deeps — Chapter 26: The Day's Work of a London "Cadger" (1881)

“ No matter though they serve the full term of apprenticeship, they turn out no better than cobblers, and all their industry is barely sufficient to provide them bread to eat and a shirt to wear. The marvel is that they are not driven back to honesty in sheer desperation. ”

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Source: Wikisource

James Greenwood, Low-Life Deeps — Chapter 26: The Day's Work of a London "Cadger" (1881)

“ Its meaty knuckle would protrude between the lid and the body of the basket, and threw suspicion on the statement that the famished pair had divided their last "kerrust" with their starving "horfspring" ere they quitted the wreck of their broker-demolished home at an early hour that morning. Possibly it was the aggravating bone that decided the mud-plungers to retire for luncheon at an earlier hour than was contemplated. Anyhow they did retire. ”

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Source: Wikisource

James Greenwood, Low-Life Deeps — Chapter 26: The Day's Work of a London "Cadger" (1881)

“ I cannot, of course, say what in each case was the sum given, but submit that it is not unreasonable to set down the total at twopence-two halfpennies and one penny. This is not much. One would hardly care to do it at the price. But then it is not only for one ten minutes that these professional cadgers are so employed, but for hours together. As before remarked, although I continued to keep my Mint-street friends well in sight, it was impossible to tell the amounts they received. ”

James Greenwood

Summary

Quotes from Low-Life Deeps — Chapter 26: The Day's Work of a London "Cadger" (James Greenwood)

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