The Henson Journals

[22]

Saturday, September 27th, 1924.

The sun, vast though it is relatively to our little world, falls into the group of dwarf stars. It is a large dwarf, certainly, but a dwarf nevertheless. So our Earth's status in the Stellar System proves to be that of a dwarf planet revolving round a dwarf star.

Rev. Hector Macpherson (Oxford, 1924.)

I had some talk with two pit–lads this afternoon, aged respectively 19 and 21. Both asserted that there was gross ill–treatment of pit–poneys [sic] in the pits. They were worked for 3 shifts on end, & brutally struck with pit–props. The first was due to the zeal for economy on the part of the Company, the last to the cruelty of the pit–boys urging exhausted beasts. This is bad hearing. The younger of these lads was about to exchange his present earnings of £2 weekly for a fortnightly wage of £25 in Illinois, U.S.A. There will be a steady drain of our best workmen to American on those terms. Indeed, it is already in progress.

Mr & Mrs Murray Smith arrived before dinner on a short visit. As usual they are busily engaged in Waifs & Strays Work.

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