It was a very interesting occupation to try for about an hour and a half to gather from conversation some hints as to the character of the "waifs and strays" who were temporarily my room-mates.
A young woman next me was a servant temporarily out of place. An amusing scene took place. Another young woman came in and spoke to her before going to her cubicle. Evidently there was some animosity between them, for the only greeting she got was, "Shut up." Finding she could make no impression, the newcomer began to insinuate.
"I wouldn't stand with the Army and then go into public-houses!"
The other girl at first made no reply, except, "Get out with you!"
But as the insinuation was repeated, she began to get wroth.
Then they began to slang one another in earnest:--
"It's all very well to go to an Army meeting and then take two men into a pub!"
"Well, I never! What will she say next, I wonder!"
And so the conversation waxed louder and louder. At length the girl in bed half sprang out.
"I shall go and tell the Lieutenant how you're talking. She'll put you out!"
With that the offender moved off to her cubicle.
The other girl kept muttering, "Well, I never! Did ever you hear! Me that has never been inside a pub! I'll tell the Lieutenant in the morning."
It was fortunate that the offender had paid for a sixpenny bed, as at one time they seemed almost coming to blows.
The noisy woman in a bed on the opposite side kept up a conversation with herself, or with anyone who would speak to her. Finally, the Lieutenant, who seemed to keep a sort of patrol, but was not round frequently enough to preserve peace, caught her talking, though not at her loudest. She was engaged in relating portions of her past life to a woman who said it was the anniversary of her wedding-day. The story of the courtship and marriage took some time to tell, but the crowning incident was that, having been ill for some days, her friends encouraged her to take "a small whisky," which apparently led to more, and she became so "blind drunk" that she remembered nothing further.
Several women with children came in. Some on meeting congratulated each other on having money enough to get in.
It made me realise how many are living on the very edge of starvation, for several had only lodging-money, not a halfpenny for food.[105]