He said nothing, however, but continued to take in as much of everything as he could hold.

At the end of a month he was too fat to get through his own back door.
"The competition among the women-folk grew keener every day, and at last the old man began to give himself airs, and to make the place hard for them.

He made them clean his cottage out, and cook his meals, and when he was tired of having them about the house, he set them to work in the garden.
"They grumbled a good deal, and there was a talk at one time of a sort of a strike, but what could they do?
He was the only pauper for miles round, and knew it.

He had the monopoly, and, like all monopolises, he abused his position.
"He made them run errands.

He sent them out to buy his 'baccy,' at their own expense.