The Winchester appeal. [volume] (Winchester, Tenn.) 1856-1856, 1856-03-08
"A Night Scene in London

description OF what he witnessed one
night outside the Whitcchappel Work.
house, what a scene for the metrop-
oils Of the Christian world, and what
a commentary upon the arrogant as
symptoms of ispseudo- philanthropists,
whose charity is wasted upon its i'm
aglnary evils in distant lands, while
thousands are starving almost at their
very doors
On the 5th of November, |, the con
ductor of this journal, accompanied by
a friend well known to the public, &C.
cidentalIy strayed into WhitechapeI
It was miserable evening; very dark,
very muddy, and raining hard. There
arc many wotul sights in this part of
London, and it has been we'll known
to me in most Of its aspects for many
years. We had forgotten the mud
and rain in slowly walking along and
looking about us, when we found our
selves, at eight o'clock, before the
WorkhouSe. Crouched against the
wall Of the worEhouse, in the dark
street, on the muddy pavement stones,
with the rain raining upon them, were
five bundles Of rags They were mo-
tionless, and had no resemblance to
the human form. Five great bee
hives covered with rags; five dead bod.
les taken out Of graves, tied neck and
heels, and covered with rags--would
have looked like those bundles npon
which the rain rained down in the
public street. What is this2 said nv
companion. What is this?' Some
miserable people shut out of the casu.
al ward, think said |. (Mr. Dick
ems then describes his inquiries in the
house. He found that the women
were shut out simply becauset the house
was fully We went to the ragged
bundle nearest the door, and touch.
ed it. No movement replied, gently
shook it. The rags began to be slow.
" stirred within, and by little and lit
tie head was unshrouded, the head
OF a young woman ot'three or four and
twenty, as should judge, gaunt with
want, and foul with dirt, but not nat
urally ugly. Tell us said |, stopping
down, why are you lying herep BE.
cause can't get into the workhouse.'
She spoke in a faint, dull way, and
had no curiosity or interest left. She
looked dreamily at the black sky and
the falling rain, but never looked at
me our my coompanion. Were YOU
here last night! Yes; al last night,
and the night afore, too DO YOU
know any OF these othersP 4 know
her next but one; she was here last
night, and she told me she comes out
Of Essex, know no more of her.
You were here last ngiht, but have
not been here all day. No; not all
day. Where have you been all day?'
About the Streets What have YOU
had to eat' 'Nothing' Come said
j. think little. You are tired and
have been a sleep, and do not quite
consider what you are saying to U.S.
You have had something to eat to
day, Come! think of it, NO, | hav-
cn't, Nothing but such bits as could
pick up about the market. Why, look
at me- She barred her neck, and |
covered it up again. IF you had a
shilling to get some supper and lodg-
ing, should you know where to get
them!' Yes, could do that .For
Gods sake get it, then put the
money into her hand, and she teebly
rose and went away. She never
thanked me, uever looked at me, melt
ed away into the miserable night in
the stIangest manner | ever saw.
have seen many strange things, but
not one that has left a deeper impress.
+ sion on my memory than the dull i'm
pressive way in which that WORKOUT
heap of misery took that piece of mon
cy and was lost. One by one | spoke
to the five. In every one interest and
curiosity were as extinct as in the
first. They were all dul languid.-
No one made an profession or COM
plant, no one cared to look at me, no
one thanked me. When ! came to the
third lsuppose she saw that my COM
panion and glanced with a new hor-
ror upon US. at the last two who had
dropped against each other in their
sleep, and were lying like broken i'm
, ages. These were the only words
that were originated among the five
An emntv head and q fnll ni1rse are