The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1849-11-01
From FsEer's Magazine.

The Miserfes and Unseen Charities OF London.
We have spoken of those unseen charities which ope.
rate rather upon the comforts than the necessities OF life
There others which involve the tragic histories of
thousands, to whom happiness is dream, prosperity
shadow, plenty wonder, which their eyes may never
hope To behold; even regular sufciency, the bare
means OF existence chmera be cherished By the
gune, but no, to be relied on by the experienced
lady returning fresh summer morning from a
splendid ball. was struck as she drove through The Streets
by the sight OF era groups OF shverng beings whose
almost bare limbs the breath OF that joyous dawn Of day
some seated despoadnsy steps, others overpowered
with sleep, reclining against iron ratings. Her attention
directed 10 these objects, forcing themselves upon
her notice after the gay dresses, the lights, the prod
gal refreshments the laughter in which she
had just participated She told by her thai
such scenes occurred nightly. They were people who
bad home the police tolerated them, but not until
daybreak. when they were allowed the poor priv
Icse OF resting where they could, at that very time
when the happy reposed in their BEDS and the
essness Of sorrow nigh; be assuaged BY home comforts
There wanting good Saniarahs who irayersed
the streets TO ascertain the actual truth OF hose horrors
which our police reports contain occasional exemphca
toa. 80 destitute is the condition OF many, that accord
ing To the testimony of eye witness, hey sleep in
casks, trucks, old boilers unenanied houses bro
ken-dowp, disgusting ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS, indeed
where they can ceep IN unseen or unnoiced II is fact
consistent with my own knowledge that many poor des
utute, homeless wreches are compelled 10 walk the
streets for whole nights, the police ordering them 10
on II they stand still or SIT down for The stale
mcn heard indeed often, but never heard too ofen was
grounded upon the experience OF several gentlemen who
had undertaken nightly winters walk from end OF
London to another-from East 10 West-from Smthfeld
The palace "ln every quarter was the same lstless
saunieriDg appearance oil The people visible This" adds
the writer OF this information. niae years since bat
Is infinitely corse nOp than hdUs erer a."
Within the narrow limits Of individual experience
some notion OF the extreme destuton Of many, OF
the respectable poor, may be gathered II is melancholy
10 think thai our servantsthose whose arrogant fasd
to their own comforts often ofends usmay
day want pillow wherein 10 lay their heads A.
aged woman, who had been servant told the writer OF
this paper. and the investigated and veri
act, that she could only afford 10 take third OF he'd
rhis provision for lie aght did protect her from
neayen's winds and rains during the day. She walked
The gin shop and was only allowed TO enter upon her
hrd dufing the evening. Her cheerful domice was
situated an lane. called Buryips.ground Passage,
Padiington street, Marylebone-one OF those nests of
Infection comm snding il does countless graves Of
which, a. well OF It's sister horror Barres Court the
benevolent seem 10 have taken cosnizance Yet this
woman had been 80 respectable in her day. that all her
maintenance, ptsnce OF bread from the parish
was derived IRON former master, who gave her "a Cd
per week she lives on whilst Others, blessed in CON.
petence and the objects OF fond affection and care are
snaiched away Her daily wanderings her nightly in.
felicity her consciousness that should illness overiake
her IN the streets. there she must sit down and die adj
the work Of mercy on this uncare Tor desosse being who
mas survived every tie, yet who fingers in world in
winch she may be said TO have resting place. for with
the workhouse, and prefers freedom what she deems
Imprisonment
inpsed by such experience as this, there formed,
in very remote quarter OF the metropolis during ire
water OF 1872 plan for aording nightly shelter for
the houseless poor Ian institution, the very name OF
which conveys moral OF Christian practice meeting
was called at Guidhal, and such was the energy Of
those who conducted the work Of faith that within ali
hours after the meeting dispersed, asylum opened
in London Wall the premises being graiutousy appro
priated BY an individual for the honseess. No tickets
nor accommodation were required. All who were 30
wretched that they forced TO sleep upon strawor
such only was the provision a, hrst for the menwere
In the morning allowance OF soup and bread saved
many starving wretch from days desitation An
average Of two hundred and Eve nightly was thus adj
m,ed consisting OF several OF the most debased classes
OF society. Women who had lost all trace or knowledge
OF religious educaiion-men, eareworn broken spred,
hopeless, rushed into this temporary asylum.
10 process OF lime Improvements were Effected and
several branch asyams erected Those who desire
70 see me system carried Of the most wetehed
neghborhoods OF London, should visit Gasshouse Yard
East Smhheld. within Inc Immediate vcintv of Rose
mary Lane You will enter square space By narrow
lane and observe therein two buildings or rather large
sheds, separated only by yard One OF these i he
refuge for The houseess poor another, The model