Another woman, “Not without the publican’s allowance, I am sure.”
The first woman, “No; the publican’s allowance would be taken off; but the publican, you see, must have a little—I do not know how much it is, but they must have something if they give us their jobs.”
This woman was here asked if her husband ever came home drunk?
“Yes,” she replied; “many a time he comes home drunk; but he must have the drink to get the jobs.”
A number of other women having made statements confirmatory of the above:—
“Do you think,” the meeting was asked, “your husbands would be sober as well as industrious men if they could be got away from the public-house system of employment and payment of wages?”
“God Almighty bless you!” exclaimed one woman, “they would love us and their families all the better for it! We should all be much the better for it.”
“And so say all of us!” was the next and perfectly unanimous exclamation.
“If we could see that day,” said one who had spoken before, “our families would have little to complain of.”
Another added, “The night-houses ought to be closed. That would be one good thing.”