THE DEPRIVED... Part 5.

In continuation...

As the cart drew closer to Dublin, the roads became heavier with traffic. Some drove carts pulled by a cow or pony while others pushed hand-carts and barrows, piled high with children and possessions so the load might topple at any minute. At the roadside walked people of all ages and sizes, desperately trying to hitch rides on already loaded carts while other sat down and reached out their hands, begging for scraps of food. Not many among the travellers stopped or offered food, all clinging to what little they had.                                   
Nearer to the town centre of Dublin sat the dealers at their tables and stalls, the men who could afford to buy from those who came to emigrate to distant lands. The dealers offered pitiful prices for goods a family had treasured over the years. Gold was bought at bargain prices with wives taking off wedding rings and shedding tears as they parted with whatever they had for the amount needed for the boat trip across the sea to Liverpool.                                    
Beth and Sam stared with frightened eyes at the crowds who pushed, shouted and threatened as they joined the queues to get their tickets and climb aboard the ‘Coffin’ ships which loaded people like cattle, cramming them in and leaving others to fight among themselves for the next ship.
“We’ll not fight for tickets today.” said Michael. “I’ll be in line for our tickets at first light and we might get a better price for the pony and cart from a townsperson rather than those dealers on the road into town. I’d rather give our things away than get the prices they offer. They’re no better than vultures!”
“Hallo to you!”                              
It was as the family settled down for the night that a man, smartly dressed in a brown long coat and top hat approached them, doffing his hat like a gentleman and speaking with a strong Liverpool accent hailed them, inquiring of Michael if he would be looking for work in Liverpool when he docked.                                   
“I’ll be seeking my luck in London Town.” said Michael, suspicious of this man who smiled and doffed his hat once more to Mary.            
“London Town, is it? I take it you have never heard of the ‘Big Stink’?” said the man, pinching his nose between thumb and finger.      
“The ‘Big Stink’?” replied Michael.          
“Oh sure, the holy smell! Last year in Summer the heat of the sun warmed the whole of London Town so the overrun Cesspits stunk so bad that people died as they breathed in the air!” the man cried, crossing himself with an exaggerated sense.                                   
“I’ll take my chances.” returned Michael, not quite prepared to believe the stranger.                    
“Well my friend, you have a right to follow your determination through but give me a chance to talk and listen first to my offer and then see if we can’t come to an arrangement.” said the man.                          
“You may speak and I will listen to your proposal.” said Michael.           
The man drew out some documents from his waistcoat pocket and waved them.            
“See these documents? They show I am a company man and work for a company in Liverpool who will make an offer on the things you have to sell at a fair price, with an offer of a job that involves good labouring services and no holding bond.” he said.   
“No holding bond? What does that mean?” asked Michael.        
“What it means my friend.” answered the man. “Is that I am instructed to buy your goods at a fair going rate and then to offer you a ticket for you and your family which will take you to Liverpool and there you will find lodgings for you and your good wife and children plus a labouring job that will give fair wages for each day’s work. There is no holding bond, which means if you only want to work the guaranteed week you sign for then you have the right to leave and travel on down to London Town which aint, I make it clear, the healthiest of places for the wife and young children.”                             
“What do you think?” asked Michael, turning to Mary.                
“Let’s see what the man has to say. Let’s see what the man has to offer.” replied Mary.                                   
“There, you see how it is to have a sensible woman at your side.” said the company man, raising his hat once more in Mary’s direction.        
“How much will you pay for my horse and cart?” Michael asked.             
The man drew out a purse from his coat and held it open.            
“Do you mind if I squat down by your fire while we come to a favourable trade?” he asked, squatting when Michael nodded and joined him in a squat by the fire.            

“I’ll give you five English bob for your pony and cart. And one more bob bit for the old furniture.” said the man, holding out the money so the coins shone by the light of the fire.  
“What’s a ‘Bob’?”                      
“A ‘Bob’, my friend, is equal to one English shilling. One of these you see?” said the man holding up a shilling coin to the firelight. “It’s a fair deal and you can’t take the furniture or your pony and cart with you, you know. You are only allowed to take your blankets and the like for sleeping with on the voyage to Liverpool. There’ll be no room for whatsoever and large holdings, only room for people.”             
Michael looked first at the shiny silver coins in the man’s hand and then at Mary, who shook her head in bemusement, unsure of such currency.    
“I tell you what, my friend. You won’t get a better price than that and I will only offer you such a high price on the condition you sign this paper which allows that you’ll work for one week under the handling of one Josiah Bambling, of Bambling and Son, workers for and to the Town of Liverpool.” finished the man as he put the money down on the ground at Michael’s feet.           
Seeing Michael hesitate the man pocketed the document and then picked up the money, jingling it in his hand before putting it back in his purse.
“I’ll tell you what I’ll do.” he said as he rose.   “I’ll come back here to see you in the morning before the first ship sails and see if you have considered the deal and what you make of it. I have other men to talk to and they won’t be so slow in taking up my offer I can assure you and then there’ll be no more jobs left.”                                    

The man began to walk away.                              
“Wait!” shouted Mary. “Come back, Mister.”            
The man turned and retraced his steps, taking out the document. Michael looked at Mary in surprise but kept silent.                      
“Before my man signs your form I want us to keep the cart till tomorrow, so we have something to sleep under. You can take the pony now if you want.” said Mary.          

The company man waved a hand.                  
“You can keep the pony with you and I’ll have a man come and take the horse and cart in the morning. Just sign the document which honours the deal that the sell is legal and you have signed for a week’s working.”        
Michael took the form and knelt, one leg up as he signed the form across his knee.                                    
“Where’s the money?” he asked. 
Once more the man counted out the coins from his purse and handed them over to Michael who counted it again.                            
“Now.” explained the man, all smiles again. “In the morning at seven o’clock a man in green clothes will come and take the horse and cart away. You will wait till he comes back and he will then direct you to the place where all the men who have signed the documents will be waiting and from there you will all board the ship. When you arrive in Liverpool there will be a man waiting who will show you all to your lodgings for the week. After that it will be up to you whether you stay or take your leave. Here is your ticket and that’s for you and your family.”                      
Michael took the ticket and studied it before putting it away in his pocket. He nodded his thanks, still suspicious of the man who doffed his top hat once more before walking away.                     
“Oh, by the way.”                          
The man had stopped abruptly and coming back he sorted through his vest pocket and came out with two coppers.                            
“There’s a man in the street just up there and to the left. He’s selling mutton pies of quality. Take these two coppers and buy a pie for each of the family.”                              
He handed Michael the two pennies and for the last time the man raised his tall hat and went, watched by the family till he was swallowed up in the milling crowd who walked to and from the dockside.                     
“I don’t trust him.” said Michael.                            
Mary smiled.                     
“Michael.” she said. “We have the man’s money and still have our pony and cart. It’s a case of who trusts who?”  
Michael laughed with her.                
“I should think.” he proposed. “We would not get too far before we have the law catching us. I suppose what you say still makes sense but just all of you stay here and set up our sleeping arrangement while I go and see if I can find the man who is selling the pies.” said Michael.             
“No, Michael.”                          
Mary had put her hand on Michael’s arm, holding tight.                
“Don’t go wasting the money. We can make do with the maize cakes and scrags.” she said.       
“We would be even poorer without you, sweetheart.” laughed Michael, kissing her.                    
“Do you think we should take it in turns to keep a watch.” asked Mary. “Anything can happen if we all go to bed and someone might steal the pony.”
Michael quickly agreed.              
“I’ll take the first watch and wake you in four hours time.” he offered and wrapped a blanket around his shoulders before seating himself at the front of the cart while Mary and the children stretched out on the makeshift beds beneath the cart with the blankets pulled down to the sides.