"Well then," said the doctor, "what is the welfare of a collier?"

"The welfare of a collier," said the landlady, "is that he shall earn
sufficient wages to keep himself and his family comfortable, to
educate his children, and to educate himself; for that is what he
wants, education."

"Ay, happen so," put in Brewitt, a big, fine, good-humoured collier.
"Happen so, Mrs. Houseley. But what if you haven't got much education,
to speak of?"

"You can always get it," she said patronizing.

"Nay--I'm blest if you can. It's no use tryin' to educate a man over
forty--not by book-learning. That isn't saying he's a fool, neither."

"And what better is them that's got education?" put in another man.
"What better is the manager, or th' under-manager, than we are?--
Pender's yaller enough i' th' face."

"He is that," assented the men in chorus.

"But because he's yellow in the face, as you say, Mr. Kirk," said the
landlady largely, "that doesn't mean he has no advantages higher than
what you have got."

"Ay," said Kirk. "He can ma'e more money than I can--that's about a'
as it comes to."

"He can make more money," said the landlady. "And when he's made it,