alone。　　If　you　understand　me　no　better　than　THAT；　sir　and　madam；
  let　me　alone。　　You　mean　very　well；　I　dare　say；　but　I　don't　like　it；
  and　I　won't　come　here　again　to　have　any　more　of　it。'
  Whatever　is　done　for　the　comfort　and　advancement　of　the　working　man
  must　be　so　far　done　by　himself　as　that　it　is　maintained　by　himself。
  And　there　must　be　in　it　no　touch　of　condescension；　no　shadow　of
  patronage。　　In　the　great　working　districts；　this　truth　is　studied
  and　understood。　　When　the　American　civil　war　rendered　it　necessary；
  first　in　Glasgow；　and　afterwards　in　Manchester；　that　the　working
  people　should　be　shown　how　to　avail　themselves　of　the　advantages
  derivable　from　system；　and　from　the　combination　of　numbers；　in　the
  purchase　and　the　cooking　of　their　food；　this　truth　was　above　all
  things　borne　in　mind。　　The　quick　consequence　was；　that　suspicion
  and　reluctance　were　vanquished；　and　that　the　effort　resulted　in　an
  astonishing　and　a　complete　success。
  Such　thoughts　passed　through　my　mind　on　a　July　morning　of　this
  summer；　as　I　walked　towards　Commercial　Street　（not　Uncommercial
  Street）；　Whitechapel。　　The　Glasgow　and　Manchester　system　had　been
  lately　set　a…going　there；　by　certain　gentlemen　who　felt　an　interest
  in　its　diffusion；　and　I　had　been　attracted　by　the　following　hand…
  bill　printed　on　rose…coloured　paper：
  SELF…SUPPORTING
  COOKING　DEPOT
  FOR　THE　WORKING　CLASSES
  Commercial…street；　Whitechapel；
  Where　Accommodation　is　provided　for　Dining　comfortably
  300　Persons　at　a　time。
  Open　from　7　A。M。　till　7　P。M。
  PRICES。
  All　Articles　of　the　BEST　QUALITY。
  Cup　of　Tea　or　Coffee　　　　　　　　　　　One　Penny
  Bread　and　Butter　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　One　Penny
  Bread　and　Cheese　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　One　Penny
  Slice　of　bread　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　One　half…penny　or
  One　Penny
  Boiled　Egg　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　One　Penny
  Ginger　Beer　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　One　Penny
  The　above　Articles　always　ready。
  Besides　the　above　may　be　had；　from　12　to　3　o'clock；
  Bowl　of　Scotch　Broth　　　　　　　　　　　One　Penny
  Bowl　of　Soup　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　One　Penny
  Plate　of　Potatoes　　　　　　　　　　　　　　One　Penny
  Plate　of　Minced　Beef　　　　　　　　　　　Twopence
  Plate　of　Cold　Beef　　　　　　　　　　　　　Twopence
  Plate　of　Cold　Ham　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Twopence
  Plate　of　Plum　Pudding　or　Rice　　One　Penny
  As　the　Economy　of　Cooking　depends　greatly　upon　the　simplicity　of
  the　arrangements　with　which　a　great　number　of　persons　can　be　served
  at　one　time；　the　Upper　Room　of　this　Establishment　will　be
  especially　set　apart　for　a
  PUBLIC　DINNER　EVERY　DAY
  From　12　till　3　o'clock；
  CONSISTING　OF　THE　FOLLOWING　DISHES；
  Bowl　of　Broth；　or　Soup；
  Plate　of　Cold　Beef　or　Ham；
  Plate　of　Potatoes；
  Plum　Pudding；　or　Rice。
  FIXED　CHARGE　4。5D。
  THE　DAILY　PAPERS　PROVIDED。
  N。B。　…　This　Establishment　is　conducted　on　the　strictest　business
  principles；　with　the　full　intention　of　making　it　self…supporting；
  so　that　every　one　may　frequent　it　with　a　feeling　of　perfect
  independence。
  The　assistance　of　all　frequenting　the　Depot　is　confidently　expected
  in　checking　anything　interfering　with　the　comfort；　quiet；　and
  regularity　of　the　establishment。
  Please　do　not　destroy　this　Hand　Bill；　but　hand　it　to　some　other
  person　whom　it　may　interest。
  The　Self…Supporting　Cooking　Depot　（not　a　very　good　name；　and　one
  would　rather　give　it　an　English　one）　had　hired　a　newly…built
  warehouse　that　it　found　to　let；　therefore　it　was　not　established　in
  premises　specially　designed　for　the　purpose。　　But；　at　a　small　cost
  they　were　exceedingly　well　adapted　to　the　purpose：　　being　light；
  well　ventilated；　clean；　and　cheerful。　　They　consisted　of　three
  large　rooms。　　That　on　the　basement　story　was　the　kitchen；　that　on
  the　ground　floor　was　the　general　dining…room；　that　on　the　floor
  above　was　the　Upper　Room　referred　to　in　the　hand…bill；　where　the
  Public　Dinner　at　fourpence…halfpenny　a　head　was　provided　every　day。
  The　cooking　was　done；　with　much　economy　of　space　and　fuel；　by
  American　cooking…stoves；　and　by　young　women　not　previously；　brought
  up　as　cooks；　the　walls　and　pillars　of　the　two　dining…rooms　were
  agreeably　brightened　with　ornamental　colours；　the　tables　were
  capable　of　accommodating　six　or　eight　persons　each；　the　attendants
  were　all　young　women；　becomingly　and　neatly　dressed；　and　dressed
  alike。　　I　think　the　whole　staff　was　female；　with　the　exception　of
  the　steward　or　manager。
  My　first　inquiries　were　directed　to　the　wages　of　this　staff；
  because；　if　any　establishment　claiming　to　be　self…supporting；　live
  upon　the　spoliation　of　anybody　or　anything；　or　eke　out　a　feeble
  existence　by　poor　mouths　and　beggarly　resources　（as　too　many　so…
  called　Mechanics'　Institutions　do）；　I　make　bold　to　express　my
  Uncommercial　opinion　that　it　has　no　business　to　live；　and　had
  better　die。　　It　was　made　clear　to　me　by　the　account　books；　that
  every　person　employed　was　properly　paid。　　My　next　inquiries　were
  directed　to　the　quality　of　the　provisions　purchased；　and　to　the
  terms　on　which　they　were　bought。　　It　was　made　equally　clear　to　me
  that　the　quality　was　the　very　best；　and　that　all　bills　were　paid
  weekly。　　My　next　inquiries　were　directed　to　the　balance…sheet　for
  the　last　two　weeks　…　only　the　third　and　fourth　of　the
  establishment's　career。　　It　was　made　equally　clear　to　me；　that
  after　everything　bought　was　paid　for；　and　after　each　week　was
  charged　with　its　full　share　of　wages；　rent　and　taxes；　depreciation
  of　plant　in　use；　and　interest　on　capital　at　the　rate　of　four　per
  cent。　per　annum；　the　last　week　had　yielded　a　profit　of　（in　round
  numbers）　one　pound　ten；　and　the　previous　week　a　profit　of　six
  pounds　ten。　　By　this　time　I　felt　that　I　had　a　healthy　appetite　for
  the　dinners。
  It　had　just　struck　twelve；　and　a　quick　succession　of　faces　had
  already　begun　to　appear　at　a　little　window　in　the　wall　of　the
  partitioned　space　where　I　sat　looking　over　the　books。　　Within　this
  little　window；　like　a　pay…box　at　a　theatre；　a　neat　and　brisk　young
  woman　presided　to　take　money　and　issue　tickets。　　Every　one　coming
  in　must　take　a　ticket。　　Either　the　fourpence…halfpenny　ticket　for
  the　upper　room　（the　most　popular　ticket；　I　think）；　or　a　penny
  ticket　for　a　bowl　of　soup；　or　as　many　penny　tickets　as　he　or　she
  choose　to　buy。　　For　three　penny　tickets　one　had　quite　a　wide　range
  of　choice。　　A　plate　of　cold　boiled　beef　and　potatoes；　or　a　plate　of
  cold　ham　and　potatoes；　or　a　plate　of　hot　minced　beef　and　potatoes；
  or　a　bowl　of　soup；　bread　and　cheese；　and　a　plate　of　plum…pudding。
  Touching　what　they　should　have；　some　customers　on　taking　their
  seats　fell　into　a　reverie　…　became　mildly　distracted　…　postponed
  decision；　and　said　in　bewilderment；　they　would　think　of　it。　　One
  old　man　I　noticed　when　I　sat　among　the　tables　in　the　lower　room；
  who　was　startled　by　the　bill　of　fare；　and　sat　contemplating　it　as
  if　it　were　something　of　a　ghostly　nature。　　The　decision　of　the　boys
  was　as　rapid　as　their　execution；　and　always　included　pudding。
  There　were　several　women　among　the　diners；　and　several　clerks　and
  shopmen。　　There　were　carpenters　and　painters　from　the　neighbouring
  buildings　under　repair；　and　there　were　nautical　men；　and　there
  were；　as　one　diner　observed　to　me；　'some　of　most　sorts。'　　Some　were
  solitary；　some　came　two　together；　some　dined　in　parties　of　three　or
  four；　or　six。　　The　latter　talked　together；　but　assuredly　no　one　was
  louder　than　at　my　club　in　Pall…Mall。　　One　young　fellow　whistled　in
  rather　a　shrill　manner　while　he　waited　for　his　dinner；　but　I　was
  gratified　to　observe　that　he　did　so　in　evident　defiance　of　my
  Uncommercial　individuality。　　Quite　agreeing　with　him；　on
  consideration；　that　I　had　no　business　to　be　there；　unless　I　dined
  like　the　rest；　'I　went　in；'　as　the　phrase　is；　for　fourpence…
  halfpenny。
  The　room　of　the　fourpence…halfpenny　banquet　had；　like　the　lower
  room；　a　counter　in　it；　on　which　were　ranged　a　great　number　of　cold
  portions　ready　for　distribution。　　Behind　this　counter；　the　fragrant
  soup　was　steaming　in　deep　cans；　and　the　best…cooked　of　potatoes
  were　fished　out　of　similar　receptacles。　　Nothing　to　eat　was　touched
  with　his　hand。　　Every　waitress　had　her　own　tables　to　attend　to。　　As
  soon　as　she　saw　a　new　customer　seat　himself　at　one　of　her　tables；
  she　took　from　the　counter　all　his　dinner　…　his　soup；　potatoes；
  meat；　and　pudding　…　piled　it　up　dexterously　in　her　two　hands；　set
  it　before　him；　and　took　his　ticket。　　This　serving　of　the　whole
  dinner　at　once；　had　been　found　greatly　to　simplify　the　business　of
  attendance；　and　was　also　popular　with　the　customers：　　who　were　thus
  enabled　to　vary　the　meal　by　varying　the　routine　of　dishes：
  beginning　with　soup…to…day；　putting　soup　in　the　middle　to…morrow；
  putting　soup　at　the　end　the　day　after　to…morrow；　and　ringing
  similar　changes　on　meat　and　pudding。　　The　rapidity　with　which　every
  new…comer　got　served；　was　remarkable；　and　the　dexterity　with　which
  the　waitresses　（quite　new　to　the　art　a　month　before）　disch