the uncommercial traveller-第74章

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development；　strictly　literal　as　to　his　Catechism；　and　called　by

Providence　to　walk　all　his　days　in　a　station　in　life　represented　on

festive　occasions　by　a　mug　of　warm　milk…and…water　and　a　bun！　　What

popguns　of　jokes　have　these　ears　tingled　to　hear　let　off　at　him；

what　asinine　sentiments；　what　impotent　conclusions；　what　spelling…

book　moralities；　what　adaptations　of　the　orator's　insufferable

tediousness　to　the　assumed　level　of　his　understanding！　　If　his

sledge…hammers；　his　spades　and　pick…axes；　his　saws　and　chisels；　his

paint…pots　and　brushes；　his　forges；　furnaces；　and　engines；　the

horses　that　he　drove　at　his　work；　and　the　machines　that　drove　him

at　his　work；　were　all　toys　in　one　little　paper　box；　and　he　the　baby

who　played　with　them；　he　could　not　have　been　discoursed　to；　more

impertinently　and　absurdly　than　I　have　heard　him　discoursed　to

times　innumerable。　　Consequently；　not　being　a　fool　or　a　fawner；　he

has　come　to　acknowledge　his　patronage　by　virtually　saying：　　'Let　me

alone。　　If　you　understand　me　no　better　than　THAT；　sir　and　madam；

let　me　alone。　　You　mean　very　well；　I　dare　say；　but　I　don't　like　it；

and　I　won't　come　here　again　to　have　any　more　of　it。'



Whatever　is　done　for　the　comfort　and　advancement　of　the　working　man

must　be　so　far　done　by　himself　as　that　it　is　maintained　by　himself。

And　there　must　be　in　it　no　touch　of　condescension；　no　shadow　of

patronage。　　In　the　great　working　districts；　this　truth　is　studied

and　understood。　　When　the　American　civil　war　rendered　it　necessary；

first　in　Glasgow；　and　afterwards　in　Manchester；　that　the　working

people　should　be　shown　how　to　avail　themselves　of　the　advantages

derivable　from　system；　and　from　the　combination　of　numbers；　in　the

purchase　and　the　cooking　of　their　food；　this　truth　was　above　all

things　borne　in　mind。　　The　quick　consequence　was；　that　suspicion

and　reluctance　were　vanquished；　and　that　the　effort　resulted　in　an

astonishing　and　a　complete　success。



Such　thoughts　passed　through　my　mind　on　a　July　morning　of　this

summer；　as　I　walked　towards　Commercial　Street　（not　Uncommercial

Street）；　Whitechapel。　　The　Glasgow　and　Manchester　system　had　been

lately　set　a…going　there；　by　certain　gentlemen　who　felt　an　interest

in　its　diffusion；　and　I　had　been　attracted　by　the　following　hand…

bill　printed　on　rose…coloured　paper：





SELF…SUPPORTING

COOKING　DEPOT

FOR　THE　WORKING　CLASSES



Commercial…street；　Whitechapel；

Where　Accommodation　is　provided　for　Dining　comfortably

300　Persons　at　a　time。



Open　from　7　A。M。　till　7　P。M。



PRICES。



All　Articles　of　the　BEST　QUALITY。



Cup　of　Tea　or　Coffee　　　　　　　　　　　One　Penny

Bread　and　Butter　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　One　Penny

Bread　and　Cheese　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　One　Penny

Slice　of　bread　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　One　half…penny　or

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　One　Penny

Boiled　Egg　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　One　Penny

Ginger　Beer　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　One　Penny



The　above　Articles　always　ready。



Besides　the　above　may　be　had；　from　12　to　3　o'clock；



Bowl　of　Scotch　Broth　　　　　　　　　　　One　Penny

Bowl　of　Soup　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　One　Penny

Plate　of　Potatoes　　　　　　　　　　　　　　One　Penny

Plate　of　Minced　Beef　　　　　　　　　　　Twopence

Plate　of　Cold　Beef　　　　　　　　　　　　　Twopence

Plate　of　Cold　Ham　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Twopence

Plate　of　Plum　Pudding　or　Rice　　One　Penny



As　the　Economy　of　Cooking　depends　greatly　upon　the　simplicity　of

the　arrangements　with　which　a　great　number　of　persons　can　be　served

at　one　time；　the　Upper　Room　of　this　Establishment　will　be

especially　set　apart　for　a



PUBLIC　DINNER　EVERY　DAY



From　12　till　3　o'clock；



CONSISTING　OF　THE　FOLLOWING　DISHES；



Bowl　of　Broth；　or　Soup；

Plate　of　Cold　Beef　or　Ham；

Plate　of　Potatoes；

Plum　Pudding；　or　Rice。



FIXED　CHARGE　4。5D。



THE　DAILY　PAPERS　PROVIDED。



N。B。　…　This　Establishment　is　conducted　on　the　strictest　business

principles；　with　the　full　intention　of　making　it　self…supporting；

so　that　every　one　may　frequent　it　with　a　feeling　of　perfect

independence。



The　assistance　of　all　frequenting　the　Depot　is　confidently　expected

in　checking　anything　interfering　with　the　comfort；　quiet；　and

regularity　of　the　establishment。



Please　do　not　destroy　this　Hand　Bill；　but　hand　it　to　some　other

person　whom　it　may　interest。





The　Self…Supporting　Cooking　Depot　（not　a　very　good　name；　and　one

would　rather　give　it　an　English　one）　had　hired　a　newly…built

warehouse　that　it　found　to　let；　therefore　it　was　not　established　in

premises　specially　designed　for　the　purpose。　　But；　at　a　small　cost

they　were　exceedingly　well　adapted　to　the　purpose：　　being　light；

well　ventilated；　clean；　and　cheerful。　　They　consisted　of　three

large　rooms。　　That　on　the　basement　story　was　the　kitchen；　that　on

the　ground　floor　was　the　general　dining…room；　that　on　the　floor

above　was　the　Upper　Room　referred　to　in　the　hand…bill；　where　the

Public　Dinner　at　fourpence…halfpenny　a　head　was　provided　every　day。

The　cooking　was　done；　with　much　economy　of　space　and　fuel；　by

American　cooking…stoves；　and　by　young　women　not　previously；　brought

up　as　cooks；　the　walls　and　pillars　of　the　two　dining…rooms　were

agreeably　brightened　with　ornamental　colours；　the　tables　were

capable　of　accommodating　six　or　eight　persons　each；　the　attendants

were　all　young　women；　becomingly　and　neatly　dressed；　and　dressed

alike。　　I　think　the　whole　staff　was　female；　with　the　exception　of

the　steward　or　manager。



My　first　inquiries　were　directed　to　the　wages　of　this　staff；

because；　if　any　establishment　claiming　to　be　self…supporting；　live

upon　the　spoliation　of　anybody　or　anything；　or　eke　out　a　feeble

existence　by　poor　mouths　and　beggarly　resources　（as　too　many　so…

called　Mechanics'　Institutions　do）；　I　make　bold　to　express　my

Uncommercial　opinion　that　it　has　no　business　to　live；　and　had

better　die。　　It　was　made　clear　to　me　by　the　account　books；　that

every　person　employed　was　properly　paid。　　My　next　inquiries　were

directed　to　the　quality　of　the　provisions　purchased；　and　to　the

terms　on　which　they　were　bought。　　It　was　made　equally　clear　to　me

that　the　quality　was　the　very　best；　and　that　all　bills　were　paid

weekly。　　My　next　inquiries　were　directed　to　the　balance…sheet　for

the　last　two　weeks　…　only　the　third　and　fourth　of　the

establishment's　career。　　It　was　made　equally　clear　to　me；　that

after　everything　bought　was　paid　for；　and　after　each　week　was

charged　with　its　full　share　of　wages；　rent　and　taxes；　depreciation

of　plant　in　use；　and　interest　on　capital　at　the　rate　of　four　per

cent。　per　annum；　the　last　week　had　yielded　a　profit　of　（in　round

numbers）　one　pound　ten；　and　the　previous　week　a　profit　of　six

pounds　ten。　　By　this　time　I　felt　that　I　had　a　healthy　appetite　for

the　dinners。



It　had　just　struck　twelve；　and　a　quick　succession　of　faces　had

already　begun　to　appear　at　a　little　window　in　the　wall　of　the

partitioned　space　where　I　sat　looking　over　the　books。　　Within　this

little　window；　like　a　pay…box　at　a　theatre；　a　neat　and　brisk　young

woman　presided　to　take　money　and　issue　tickets。　　Every　one　coming

in　must　take　a　ticket。　　Either　the　fourpence…halfpenny　ticket　for

the　upper　room　（the　most　popular　ticket；　I　think）；　or　a　penny

ticket　for　a　bowl　of　soup；　or　as　many　penny　tickets　as　he　or　she

choose　to　buy。　　For　three　penny　tickets　one　had　quite　a　wide　range

of　choice。　　A　plate　of　cold　boiled　beef　and　potatoes；　or　a　plate　of

cold　ham　and　potatoes；　or　a　plate　of　hot　minced　beef　and　potatoes；

or　a　bowl　of　soup；　bread　and　cheese；　and　a　plate　of　plum…pudding。

Touching　what　they　should　have；　some　customers　on　taking　their

seats　fell　into　a　reverie　…　became　mildly　distracted　…　postponed

decision；　and　said　in　bewilderment；　they　would　think　of　it。　　One

old　man　I　noticed　when　I　sat　among　the　tables　in　the　lower　room；

who　was　startled　by　the　bill　of　fare；　and　sat　contemplating　it　as

if　it　were　something　of　a　ghostly　nature。　　The　decision　of　the　boys

was　as　rapid　as　their　execution；　and　always　included　pudding。