OF THE DIET AND DRINK OF COSTER-
MONGERS.
It is less easy to describe the diet of coster-
mongers than it is to describe that of many
other of the labouring classes, for their diet, so
to speak, is an "out-door diet." They break-
fast at a coffee-stall, and (if all their means have
been expended in purchasing their stock, and
none of it be yet sold) they expend on the
meal only 1d., reserved for the purpose. For
this sum they can procure a small cup of cof-
fee, and two "thin" (that is to say two thin
slices of bread and butter). For dinner —
which on a week-day is hardly ever eaten
at the costermonger's abode — they buy "block
ornaments," as they call the small, dark-
coloured pieces of meat exposed on the cheap
butchers' blocks or counters. These they cook
in a tap-room; half a pound costing 2d. If
time be an object, the coster buys a hot pie
or two; preferring fruit-pies when in season,
and next to them meat-pies. "We never eat
eel-pies," said one man to me, "because we
know they're often made of large dead eels.
We, of all people, are not to be had that way.
But the haristocrats eats 'em and never knows
the difference." I did not hear that these men
had any repugnance to meat-pies; but the use of
the dead eel happens to come within the im-
mediate knowledge of the costermongers, who
are, indeed, its purveyors. Saveloys, with a
pint of beer, or a glass of "short" (neat gin)
is with them another common week-day dinner.
The costers make all possible purchases of
street-dealers, and pride themselves in thus
"sticking to their own." On Sunday, the
costermonger, when not "cracked up," enjoys
a good dinner at his own abode. This is
always a joint — most frequently a shoulder
or half-shoulder of mutton — and invariably
with "lots of good taturs baked along with
it." In the quality of their potatoes these
people are generally particular.
The costermonger's usual beverage is beer,
and many of them drink hard, having no other
way of spending their leisure but in drinking
and gambling. It is not unusual in "a good
time," for a costermonger to spend 12s. out of
every 20s. in beer and pleasure.
I ought to add, that the "single fellows,"
instead of living on "block ornaments" and the
like, live, when doing well, on the best fare, at
the "spiciest" cook-shops on their rounds, or in
the neighbourhood of their residence.
There are some families of costermongers who
have persevered in carrying out the principles
of teetotalism. One man thought there might
be 200 individuals, including men, women, and
children, who practised total abstinence from
intoxicating drinks. These parties are nearly all
somewhat better off than their drinking com-
panions. The number of teetotallers amongst
the costers, however, was more numerous three
or four years back.
