A DAY'S COMPANION
I had many a strange experience in those days, especially one with an
old man, who must have been between seventy and eighty years of age.
He accosted me through the hedges and, looking in that direction, I
saw him in the act of filling a quart can with blackberries, aided by
a thick long stick with a crooked end. "Wait a moment," said he, "for
I also am going Bedford way." I was nothing loth to wait, for I was a
stranger in that part of the country, and required information as to
which was the best cheap lodging house for the night. I knew that in a
town of the size of Bedford there must be more than one common lodging
house, and one must be better than another, if only in the extra smile
of a landlady, regardless of clean blankets or cooking accommodation.
For this reason I waited, and, in less than three minutes, the old man
joined me. His answer to my first question was disappointing, for it
seemed that the number of lodging houses which Bedford could boast
were all public houses, and there was not one private house that
catered for beggars. This was a real disappointment, for I knew that
whosoever made tea at such a place, did so under the ill favoured
glance of a landlady or landlord, perhaps both, who sold beer ready
made. In fact the facilities for making tea, cooking, or even washing
one's shirt, were extremely limited at such a place, which made it
very undesirable for a poor beggar like myself, who had great
difficulty in begging sufficient for his bed and board, and did not
wish to be reminded of beer.
"Surely," I said, "there must be in a town the size of Bedford one
private lodging house, at least, to accommodate tramps."
"Well," said he, "as a tramp I have been going in and out of that town
for over thirty years, and I never heard of such a place. You can make
enquiries, and I should like to know different," he continued, rather
sarcastically that I had doubted his knowledge. "The two best houses
are the 'Boot' and the 'Cock,' but seeing that the former takes in
women, the latter I think would be the best for us. Are you going to
do business on the road?" he enquired. "Not to-day," I answered him,
"for I have enough for my bed, and an extra few coppers for food."
"All right," said he, "we will travel together, and if I do a little
business on the way it won't interfere with you, and we have plenty of
time to reach the lodging house before dark." Having no objection to
this proposal we jogged pleasantly along.
We were now descending a steep incline and my companion, seeing a man
coming in the opposite direction, walking beside a bicycle, lost no
time in confronting that gentleman and pushing the blackberries under
his nose. "No," said the man, gruffly, "do you think I am going to
carry those things? but here's a copper for you." Well, thought I,
this man will never sell his berries if he does not show more
discretion and offer them to more likely customers.
Just after this we met a lady and gentleman, both well dressed and
apparently well to do. Touching his cap to these people my companion
soon had his blackberries within a few inches of their eyes, at the
same time using all his persuasive powers to induce them to make a
purchase. In this he failed, as was to be expected, but continued to
walk step by step with them for several yards, until the gentleman
hastily put his hand in his pocket and gave the old fellow sixpence,
the smallest change that he had.
Several others were stopped after this, and although my fellow
traveller failed to sell his perishable goods, a number of people
assisted him with coppers. In one instance I thought he surely could
not be of sound mind, for he had seen a party of ladies and gentlemen
seating themselves in a motor car, and was hurrying with all speed in
that direction. In this case he failed at getting a hearing, for
before he was half way towards them, the party had seated themselves
and the car was moving rapidly away. My companion's lips trembled with
vexation at seeing this.
"Wait a moment," said he, crossing the road to a baker's shop--"I am
going to exchange these berries for buns." Waiting outside I was soon
joined again by this strange old fellow who then carried in his left
hand four buns, his right hand still being in possession of the
blackberries.
"You will never sell them," I said, "if you do not offer them at more
likely places. See, there is a shop with fruit and vegetables: try
there." "Why," he answered with a grin, "how do you think I could make
a living if I sold them? The market value of these berries is about
one farthing, and it takes sixteen farthings to pay for my feather
(bed) not reckoning scrand (food), and a glass or two of skimish
(drink). In fact," said he, "my day's work is done, and I am quite
satisfied with the result." Saying which he tumbled the blackberries
into the gutter and placed the can--which he used for making tea--into
a large self-made inside pocket. On getting a better view of them, I
remarked that no person could buy such berries, for they were about
the worst assortment I had ever seen in my life. "It would not pay to
make them very enticing," said he, "or they would find a too ready
sale." "But what do you do when the season is over?" I asked, "for you
cannot pick blackberries all the year round." "Oh," he answered, "I
have other ways of making a living. If I can get a good audience in a
public house, I can often make a day's living in a quarter of an hour,
with several drinks in the bargain." "What, by singing or dancing?" I
asked. "No," said he, "but by reciting. Listen to this." With that he
began to recite a long poem, line after line, until I began to hope
his memory would fail him. What a memory it was! Hundreds of lines
without a break. When he came to the most dramatic parts he paused for
action, and I knew that he was heedless of the approach of night, and
had forgotten that Bedford was still afar off. There was now no
stopping of him; poem after poem he recited, and he introduced his
subjects with little speeches that were so different from his ordinary
conversation, that it was apparent that he had committed them also to
memory for the benefit of a fit audience. If he was so zealous after a
weary day's walk, and without stimulants, what would he be under the
influence of several glasses of strong ale? I shuddered to think of
it.
We were now about a mile from Bedford, and my companion had for the
last hour been reciting; as for myself I was travelling alone, for I
had forgotten him. Sometimes to my confusion he would startle me by a
sudden question, but seeing that he made no pause for an answer, I
soon understood that no answer was required of me, for that he was
still reciting.
As we entered the outskirts of Bedford, my companion found it
necessary, owing to increase of traffic, to raise his voice, which he
continued to do until at last the traffic became so very great that he
could not make himself heard. I had not heard his voice for the last
five minutes, when he suddenly clutched my shoulder and demanded what
I thought of that. "You have a wonderful memory," I said. "Oh," said
he, "that is nothing; I could entertain you for several days in like
manner, with fresh matter each day. Here we are at the 'Cock.' I like
your company and, if you are travelling my way to-morrow, let us go
together. It is not every man that I would travel with two days in
succession." And, thought I, it is not every man would travel in your
company two days in succession. "Which way are you going?" I asked
him. "Towards Northampton," said he. "Alas," I answered, "my direction
is altogether different."
We now entered the "Cock," and after calling for two glasses of ale,
enquired as to accommodation for travellers, which we were informed
was good, there being plenty of room. Sometimes, if ale is not called
for, they are disinclined to letting beds, especially in the winter,
when they find so little difficulty in filling the house.
On entering the kitchen we found it occupied by a number of men, some
of whom recognised my fellow traveller, and spoke to him. But, strange
to say, although this man had proved so garrulous with one for a
companion, with the many he had very little to say, and sat in a
corner all through the evening smoking in silence, and paying no heed
to others either by tongue, eye, or ear. Once or twice I saw his lips
move, when filling his pipe, or knocking out its ashes, and I thought
that he was perhaps rehearsing and training his memory for the
following day, in case he would be again fortunate in picking up with
an easy fool like myself. For, no doubt, the poor old fellow had been
often commanded to desist from reciting, and ordered to hell by
impatient and unsympathetic men whom he had at first mistaken for
quiet and good natured companions. I had not by a look or a word
sought to offend him, but one day of his company was certainly
enough.