It was late at night in England during the industrial revolution.At theis time,most english towns needed people to work in the factories that were beginning to open all over the country.Many people came to the towns to find work,but they were often so poor that they couldn't buy enough to eat and they had nowhere to sleep.So they went to the workhouses where at least they had a bed and some sort of food .In one such workhouse,an old nurse and a doctor were working in a small,dark room looking at a baby boy that had just been born.the baby found it difficult to breathe they didn't know if he would live..."what's the mother's name?" the doctor asked the nurse...."I don't know.she arrived at the workhouse last night" said the nurse..."she was ill and weak when she came.When the baby cried the mother said weakly..."can i see my new baby?" the nurse picked up the tiny boy and the mother saw him for the first time. She kissed him gently on the cheek and smiled then the mother died..."poor woman" said the nurse..."she was so beautiful ,we'll never know who she was"..The baby was called oliver twist.He was sent to live with orphans in an old house nearb.The orphans were all the children of parents who had been destitute.A woman called mrs mann was given a little money to look after the orphans,but she desited that she need some of this money for herself for this reason,the boys never had very much to eat.On his ninth birthday,oliver was a small,weak child.He had spent all his life in the old building with mrs mann,Who was no kinder to oliver than she was to the other orphans.Oliver didn't go to school and he didn't know the world outside.One day,an important man called Mr Bumble visited mrs mann.Mr Bumble was an official from the workhouse,Where the older children from poor families were big enough to work for their food..."now oliver's nine,you don't need to look after him" Mr Bumble told mrs mann..."He is old enough to work for us in the workhouse".Oliver was not sad to leave mrs mann,but he was sad to leave his friends and the only home he had ever known.He felt wretched as the door to the house was closed behind him..."Why are you crying?You are very lucky to work here".The managers of the workhouse told oliver when he arrived..."We will give you a food and a bed for nothing".The workhouse was a large,cold building.Oliver was itroduced to the other boys who were all as thin and weak as he was.They wore old clothes that were too big for them.Oliver worked hard at the workhouse with these boys and quickly realised that his life was not going to become any easier.His bed was very uncomfortable and the food was never enough.All they ate was a thin soup.The boys he worked with were always hungry.After a few months,they decided they must have more food,and they chose oliver to ask for it.That evening in the big,cold hall,the boys finished eating their usual thin soup.Then oliver stood up and walked to the master who gave them their food..."Please,sir, I want some more" said oliver.The master was furious.No one had ever asked for more before!..."what did you say?" he cried.There was now silence in the big room..."please,sir, I want some more".Oliver repeated.The master angirly took oliver's arm and immediately led him to the managers of the workhouse.He told them what oliver had said...."If he is not happy with our generosity".The managers said,.."he must leave".They decited to lock oliver in a room and put a message on the door of the workhouse.It said that the workhouse would give 5 pounds to anyone who could take the boy away from them.For weeks,Oliver stayed in the cold,dark room.He cried himself to sleep each night,then woke up each morning and began to cry again.He had never felt so alone.He was only taken from the room when it was time to eat.Mr Bumble didn't want any of the boys to ask for more food,so while they were eating,Mr Bumble made oliver stand in front of them.Then he beat oliver.This happened every day until a man called Mr Sowerberry read the message on the workhouse gate. Mr Sowerberry,the coffin maker,decided that he needed an apprentice and told Mr Bumble that he could take oliver Twist.A new chapter in the boy's life was about to start.The next day,Mr Bumble took oliver from the workhouse and walked with him to Mr Sowerberry's house.As they were walking down the street,Mr Bumble was surprised to see that oliver was crying...."Why are you crying?".Mr Bumble shouted.."you should be happy to have the opportunity to work with someone like Mr Sowerbeery"...."I'll be a good boy".said oliver.."but I have no...." "You have no what?".Asked Mr Bumble..."I have no friends".said oliver quietly.Mr Bumble was not interested in oliver's feelings.They continued to Mr Sowerberry's house,but when oliver's new employer saw him,he was not very happy...."He's very small,Mr Bumble" Mr Sowerberry complained ..."He's small,but he'll grow"explained Mr Bumble...."But it will cost money to feed him".said Mr Sowerbeery's wife.She took oliver downstairs and gave him some old food that they had not eaten ..."Now get some sleep".said mrs sowerbeery,"You don't mind sleeping down in the shop,do you? there's nowhere else to sleep in our house".Oliver was alone in a strange,dark room,surrounded by unfinished coffins.It was not much better than the room he had slept in at the workhouse.It was not easy to him to sleep.The next morning,Oliver woke up to the sound of someone kicking the shop door.Oliver opened it and saw a tall boy with a red nose eating some bread..."Hello,I'm Noah Claypole",he said."You're from the workhouse,aren't you?",he continued,walking into the shop as if he lived there.."I help Mr Sowerberry,you do what i say,workhouse boy.Now open the shutters",he ordered,giving oliver a small kick to make sure he knwe who was the master.Mrs Sowerberry called and asked Noah to sit by the fire to have some breakfast.She gave oliver a little bread and told him to eat it down below.It was freezing cold there.."Why can't i have a good breakfast like noah?",he asked,but there was no one there to hear him.For the next few months,Oliver worked with Mr Sowerbeery.He didn't like the work,but Mr Sowerberry seemed pleased with him.This,however,did not please Noah Claypole,who was told to work inside when oliver went out with Mr Sowerberry.One day,after work,the two boys were alone in the shop.."what happened to your mother,workhouse boy?" said Noah.Oliver said quietly,.."The nurse said she died of a broken heart"..."I heard she died in the workhouse because she was no good at any thing",laughed Noah .."What did you say?" cried Oliver,felling both ashamed and angry.."I heard that if she hadn't died,they would have punished her",Noah cried unkindly.Oliver stood up and started to hit Noah hard...."Help!" shouted Noah.."He's killing me!!" Mr and Mrs Sowerberry ran in and pulled oliver away from Noah..."Help me lock him in here",they said to Noah.They pulled oliver into a dark cellar and locked the door...'You poor boy!" Mrs sowerbeey said to noah."we must get Mr Bumble at once.When Mr Bumble heard what had happened,he hurried to Mr Sowerberry's house and knocked on the door to the cellar..."Oliver,do you know who's speaking?" he called loudly.."Yes" said oliver.."Aren't you afraid,Oliver?" he continued in a menacing voice.."No" said oliver.Mr Bumble looked at Mr Sowerberry in surprise.."I understand the problem",said Mr Bumble .."You've given him too much meat,Mrs Sowerberry.You've been too kind to him.Leave him in this cellar without food for a few days,then feed him only soup",he advised.That night,in the cold cellar,Oliver tried to cry himself to sleep yet again.But he felt too angry to sleep.When the house was quiet,he went to the door and realised it was not locked.He waited until it was light and quietly opened the door.No one was awake and it was easy to leave the house without anyone realising.He knew he couldn't stay in that place any longer.His life was unbearable.It was time for him to run away.
