ver
from Germany or else to pick up on the highroads, in the Gipsies'
caravans, children with skins tanned like donkeys', a troupe of
blackamoors on wheels, who, perched up on the handle-bars of the bikes,
would have looked like cockroaches mounted as brooches, damn it!

However, by dint of selection, he ended by having only good ones left; and
then he made a contract in due form with the parents for three years, or
even five, such was his faith in the future. A few pence a week to the
family, a few pence to the baggage herself: he to dress, lodge and board
her and engage to make an artiste of her. Everything was provided for:
during the training, just the board and the rest; when she began to work,
a shilling a day in addition. Over and above, she would be looked after by
a lady, Mrs. Clifton. Was that all right? Both parties signed; the girl
was an artiste, became a New Zealander.

They brought their little wardrobe: one spare chemise, on the average, one
pair of stockings; their only protection against the weather was the dress
they had on, a factory-girl's ulster and a tam-o'-shanter. Later on, when
performing, they would be entitled to a celluloid collar, satinette
knickers and pumps.

Pa, though at first he took one extra room and then two in the same house
and though he also made his apprentices sleep three in a bed, Pa soon
found himself cramped. It would have been nice to have a little house
somewhere in good air, next door to the country. But there was one thing
which made Pa decide to remain in the West Central district. Jimmy, the
young electrician with whom Lily used to chat on shipboard, had given up
traveling. Harrasford and his architect had noticed him on board and the
great man had engaged him to manage the electric installation of his
theaters. Jimmy had taken possession of a lodging in Gresse Street,
Tottenham Court Road. He slept over the shop, which, for the rest, served
him rather as a place in which to keep the tools for his outside work. Pa
often ran upon him in the neighborhood and had a nodding acquaintance with
him which turned out to be useful, as Jimmy, being in Harrasford's
employment, was more or less at home in the variety-theaters and nothing
was easier than for him to obtain leave for Clifton to practise on the
stage. This it was that persuaded Clifton to settle in the west end. In
any case, it would be cheaper than dragging the six girls and himself
daily from one end of London to t