He was making some sort of rattan-work, and he toiled on stolidly while I talked with him.

But in spite of his meekness and lowliness, I fancied I caught the first note of a nascent bitterness in him when he said: "They might a-given me a job as watchman,* anyway." * In those days thievery was incredibly prevalent.
Everybody stole property from everybody else.

The lords of society stole legally or else legalized their stealing, while the poorer classes stole illegally.

Nothing was safe unless guarded.

Enormous numbers of men were employed as watchmen to protect property.