OF COSTERMONGERING MECHANICS.
"From the numbers of mechanics," said one
smart costermonger to me, "that I know of
in my own district, I should say there's now
more than 1,000 costers in London that were
once mechanics or labourers. They are driven
to it as a last resource, when they can't get
work at their trade. They don't do well, at least
four out of five, or three out of four don't.
They're not up to the dodges of the business.
They go to market with fear, and don't know
how to venture a bargain if one offers. They're
inferior salesmen too, and if they have fish
left that won't keep, it's a dead loss to them,
for they aren't up to the trick of selling it
cheap at a distance where the coster ain't known;
or of quitting it to another, for candle-light sale,
cheap, to the Irish or to the `lushingtons,' that
haven't a proper taste for fish. Some of these
poor fellows lose every penny. They're mostly
middle-aged when they begin costering. They'll
generally commence with oranges or herrings.
We pity them. We say, `Poor fellows! they'll
find it out by-and-bye.' It's awful to see some
poor women, too, trying to pick up a living in
the streets by selling nuts or oranges. It's
awful to see them, for they can't set about it
right; besides that, there's too many before they
start. They don't find a living, it's only another
way of starving."
