human
That's quite a mob,
gpt
It is that, sorr,
human
I'm a census officer, the boy continued,
gpt
was the reply;
human
But why should the school want to steal their children? Do you mean that they don't want them to go to school?
gpt
the Irishman answered,
human
That all seems right enough,
gpt
Ye would think so, sorr, continued the policeman
human
But most of these mothers come from countries on the other side where they make them soldiers whether they want to be or not, an' this drillin' business scares the old folks 'most to death.
gpt
But if it continues and nothing happens, I don't see why they should go on being scared. You would think the children had grown used to it.
human
The children! They're not makin' any trouble, it's all the parents.
gpt
Then what started it?
human
There was some street corner lecturer here the day before yisterday, tryin' to teach the people that children were the cause of poverty an' that the only way to prevent poverty was to get rid of the children, either by havin' fewer or by shippin' off the existin' surplus.
gpt
It's silly for them to heed a man like that!
human
It's worse than silly, sorr, the policeman said.
gpt
But even then I don't believe there would have been trouble. But yisterday, some rich lady, plannin' to give the children a picnic this afternoon and a treat, told them they were all goin' out to the country and that they must tell their mothers they wouldn't be home until late.
human
What about that? asked the boy.
gpt
I should think they would be glad that the children should have some pleasure. From all I've seen recently of the way people live in this neighborhood, I don't believe the children have any too much good times.
human
An' so they should be glad, sorr, but they won't see it that way. They know the children have been drilled for weeks an' weeks; they know a man on the street corner said the children ought to be shipped away; an' the next day they are told that the children are goin' to be taken into the country, an' they don't believe the children'll ever come back.
gpt
Surely they can't be as silly as all that! And what do you suppose they want to do?
human
They don't know what they want, the policeman answered,