ils disturbed the street. The neighbors, who had
sent for the police on the occasion, were angered by a notoriety which
was becoming uncomfortable to them, and began to testify their feelings
in various rough ways. Ginx removed his family to Rosemary Street,
where, up to a year before the time when Ginx's Baby was born, his wife
had continued to add to her offspring until the tale reached one dozen.
It was then that Ginx affectionately but firmly begged that his wife
would consider her family ways, since, in all conscience, he had fairly
earned the blessedness of the man who hath his quiver full of them;
and frankly gave her notice that, as his utmost efforts could scarcely
maintain their existing family, if she ventured to present him with any
more, either single, or twins, or triplets, or otherwise, he would most
assuredly drown him, or her, or them in the water-butt, and take the
consequences.

II.--Home, sweet Home!

The day on which Ginx uttered his awful threat was that next to the one
wherein number twelve had drawn his first breath. His wife lay on the
bed which, at the outset of wedded life, they had purchased secondhand
in Strutton Ground for the sum of nine shillings and sixpence.
SECOND-HAND! It had passed through, at least, as many hands as there
were afterwards babies born upon it. Twelfth or thirteenth hand, a
vagabond, botched bedstead, type of all the furniture in Ginx's rooms,
and in numberless houses through the vast city. Its dimensions were
4 feet 6 inches by 6 feet. When Ginx, who was a stout navvy, and Mrs.
Ginx, who was, you may conceive, a matronly woman, were in it, there
was little vacant space about them. Yet, as they were forced to find
resting-places for all the children, it not seldom happened that at
least one infant was perilously wedged between the parental bodies; and
latterly they had been so pressed for room in the household that two
younglings were nestled at the foot of the bed. Without foot-board or
pillows, the lodgment of these infants was precarious, since any fatuous
movement of Ginx's legs was likely to expel them head-first. However
they were safe, for they were sure to fall on one or other of their
brothers or sisters.

I shall be as particular as a valuer, and describe what I have seen. The
family sleeping-room measured 13 feet 6 inches by 14 feet.

Opening out of this, and again on the landing of the third-floor, was
their kitchen and sitting-room; it was not qu