They remained at the table in silence for some time: then, `How much rent do we owe now?' asked Easton.
`Four weeks, and I promised the collector the last time he called that we'd pay two weeks next Monday.He was quite nasty about it.'
`Well, I suppose you'll have to pay it, that's all,' said Easton.
`How much money will you have tomorrow?' asked Ruth.
He began to reckon up his time: he started on Monday and today was Friday: five days, from seven to five, less half an hour for breakfast and an hour for dinner, eight and a half hours a day - forty-two hours and a half.At sevenpence an hour that came to one pound four and ninepence halfpenny.
`You know I only started on Monday,' he said, `so there's no back day to come.Tomorrow goes into next week.'
`Yes, I know,' replied Ruth.
`If we pay the two week's rent that'll leave us twelve shillings to live on.'
`But we won't be able to keep all of that,' said Ruth, `because there's other things to pay.'
`What other things?'
`We owe the baker eight shillings for the bread he let us have while you were not working, and there's about twelve shillings owing for groceries.We'll have to pay them something on account.Then we want some more coal; there's only about a shovelful left, and -'
`Wait a minnit,' said Easton.`The best way is to write out a list of everything we owe; then we shall know exactly where we are.You get me a piece of paper and tell me what to write.Then we'll see what it all comes to.'
`Do you mean everything we owe, or everything we must pay tomorrow.'
`I think we'd better make a list of all we owe first.'
While they were talking the baby was sleeping restlessly, occasionally uttering plaintive little cries.The mother now went and knelt at the side of the cradle, which she gently rocked with one hand, patting the infant with the other.
`Except the furniture people, the biggest thing we owe is the rent,'
she said when Easton was ready to begin.
`It seems to me,' said he, as, after having cleared a space on the table and arranged the paper, he began to sharpen his pencil with a table-knife, `that you don't manage things as well as you might.If you was to make a list of just the things you MUST have before you went out of a Saturday, you'd find the money would go much farther.
Instead of doing that you just take the money in your hand without knowing exactly what you're going to do with it, and when you come back it's all gone and next to nothing to show for it.'
His wife made no reply: her head was bent over the child.
`Now, let's see,' went on her husband.`First of all there's the rent.How much did you say we owe?'
`Four weeks.That's the three weeks you were out and this week.'
`Four sixes is twenty-four; that's one pound four,' said Easton as he wrote it down.`Next?'
`Grocer, twelve shillings.'
Easton looked up in astonishment.
`Twelve shillings.Why, didn't you tell me only the other day that you'd paid up all we owed for groceries?'
`Don't you remember we owed thirty-five shillings last spring? Well, I've been paying that bit by bit all the summer.I paid the last of it the week you finished your last job.Then you were out three weeks - up till last Friday - and as we had nothing in hand I had to get what we wanted without paying for it.'
`But do you mean to say it cost us three shillings a week for tea and sugar and butter?'
`It's not only them.There's been bacon and eggs and cheese and other things.'
The man was beginning to become impatient.
`Well,' he said, `What else?'
`We owe the baker eight shillings.We did owe nearly a pound, but I've been paying it off a little at a time.'
This was added to the list.
`Then there's the milkman.I've not paid him for four weeks.He hasn't sent a bill yet, but you can reckon it up; we have two penn'orth every day.'
`That's four and eight,' said Easton, writing it down.`Anything else?'
`One and seven to the greengrocer for potatoes, cabbage, and paraffin oil.'
`Anything else?'
`We owe the butcher two and sevenpence.'
`Why, we haven't had any meat for a long time,' said Easton.`When was it?'
`Three weeks ago; don't you remember? A small leg of mutton,'
`Oh, yes,' and he added the item.
`Then there's the instalments for the furniture and oilcloth - twelve shillings.A letter came from them today.And there's something else.'
She took three letters from the pocket of her dress and handed them to him.
`They all came today.I didn't show them to you before as I didn't want to upset you before you had your tea.'
Easton drew the first letter from its envelope.
CORPORATION OF MUGSBOROUGH
General District and Special Rates FINAL NOTICEMR W.EASTON, I have to remind you that the amount due from you as under, in respect of the above Rates, has not been paid, and to request that you will forward the same within Fourteen Days from this date.You are hereby informed that after this notice no further call will be made, or intimation given, before legal proceedings are taken to enforce payment.
By order of the Council.
JAMES LEAH.
Collector, No.2 District.
District Rate..........................? 13 11Special Rate...........................10 2________
? 4 1
The second communication was dated from the office of the Assistant Overseer of the Poor.It was also a Final Notice and was worded in almost exactly the same way as the other, the principal difference being that it was `By order of the Overseers' instead of `the Council'.It demanded the sum of ? 1 5 1/2 for Poor Rate within fourteen days, and threatened legal proceedings in default.
Easton laid this down and began to read the third letter -J.DIDLUM & CO LTD.
Complete House Furnishers QUALITY STREET, MUGSBOROUGHMR W.EASTON, SIR:
We have to remind you that three monthly payments of four shillings each (12/- in all) became due on the first of this month, and we must request you to let us have this amount BY RETURN OF POST.
Under the terms of your agreement you guaranteed that the money should be paid on the Saturday of every fourth week.To prevent unpleasantness, we must request you for the future to forward the full amount punctually upon that day.
