In every workhouse might be found people who had at one time occupied good positions; and their downfall was not in every case their own fault.
No matter how prosperous a man might be, he could not be certain that his children would never want for bread.

There were thousands living in misery on starvation wages whose parents had been wealthy people.
As Owen strode rapidly along, his mind filled with these thoughts, he was almost unconscious of the fact that he was wet through to the skin.
He was without an overcoat, it was pawned in London, and he had not yet been able to redeem it.

His boots were leaky and sodden with mud and rain.
He was nearly home now.

At the corner of the street in which he lived there was a newsagent's shop and on a board outside the door was displayed a placard: TERRIBLE DOMESTIC TRAGEDY DOUBLE MURDER AND SUICIDE He went in to buy a copy of the paper.

He was a frequent customer here, and as he entered the shopkeeper greeted him by name.
'Dreadful weather,' he remarked as he handed Owen the paper.