As was
correck Jim 'anded all the dishes to Mrs. Dawkins first, but she said, "No,
thank you, such things are for the defenders of the country, and it is our
duty to provide them, but bread-and-dripping is good enough for me and Mr.
Dawkins and the children."
Susan, Sammy, Billy and Elfreda all begun to cry, and their father sat
lookin' at 'em, the picture of misery. It clean took away our appetites.
She piled our plates with jam and sardines, but we couldn't swaller a
mouthful with them poor kids sobbin' all round the table. We was thankful
they was put to bed before supper. Mrs. Dawkins fried potaters and sausages
and set 'em down in front of me Jim, with a jug of porter, and she and
Dawkins and a young man lodger sat at the other end, behind half a Dutch
cheese and some water. All the meals was the same.
There was only three rooms upstairs, and Jim and me couldn't make out how
it was we had a bedroom apiece till we come across the lodger sleepin' on
the kitchen table, Dawkins on the mangle and Sammy in one of the dresser
drawers. Then we asked to be allowed to sleep together, with the lodger to
one side; but Mrs.
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