Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1858-07-31
A NIGHTLY SCENE IN LONDON.
BY CHARLES DICKENS.

ally strayed into Whitechapel. 1t was q mis-
'eraole evening; very dark, very muddy, and
raining very hard. There are many woful
scenes in that part OF London, and it has been
well known to me, in most of its aspects, for
many years. We had forgotten the mud and
rain IL slowly walking along and looking about
US, when we found ourselves, at S o'clock be-
Tore the wOrkhouse. Crouched against the wall
N the wOIkhouse, in the dark street, on the
muddy pavement stones, with the rain pouring
upon them, were FIVE bundles Of rags They
were mOtiOnleSs, and had no resemblance to
the human form. Five great bee-hives, COW
cred with rags-ive dead bodies taken out of
graves-would have looked like those FIVE bun
dies upon which the rain ratified down in the
public street.
What is this7' said nv companion. "Wbat
is this!''
Somo miserable people shut out of the cas-
ual ward, think, said L.
We stopped before the FIVE ragged mounds
and were rooted to the spot by their horrible
appearance. Five awful Sphinxes by the way
SIDE, crying to every passer-by, Stop and
guess What is to be the end Of a state of So
clety that leaves us hereH' AS we stood look
ing at them, decent workingman. having the
appearance OF n stone mason, touched me on
abe shoulder
This is an awful sight, SIR said he, in a
christian country"
God knows it is, my FRIEND" said l.
have often seen il much worse than this,
as L have been going home from my work l
nave counted htteen, twenty, fve-andtwenty,
many a time. It's shocking thing to see
shocking thing, indeed, !" said L and my
companion together. The man fingered near
us little while, wished us good night. and
went on We should have felt it brutal in us
who had better chance of being heard than
the worklDgman, to leave the thing as il was;
SO we Knocked at the wOrkhousc gate. un-
dortook to be spokesman. The moment the
gate was opened by an old pauper, went in,
followed close by my companion. | lost no
time IN passing the old porter, for 1 saw in his
W2tery eye disposition to shut US out
" BE So good as to give that card to the mas
ter OF the workhOuse, and say 1 shall be glad
to speak to him for a moment
We were in kind of covered gateway, and
the old porter went across it with the card. Be-
fore be had got to the door on our left a man in
cloak and hat bounced out of it very sharply,
as If he were in the nightly habit of being bull
lied and of returning the compliment.
Now, gentlemen" said he, in a loud voice,
"what do you want here ?''
. First" said L, {" will you do me the favor
you may know my name"
Yes, said he, looking at it. 81 know this
name"
GOOD. l only want to ask you plain
question In civil manner, and there is not
the least occasion for either of us to be angry.
II NOulu DC iOOllsn IN me 10 DlaLne you,
and don't blame you. | may find fault with
the system you administer, but pray under
stand that L know you are here to do a duty
pointed out TO you, and that have no doubt
you do 1t. Now, hope you won't object to
tell me what want to know"
No, said he, quite Modified, and very
reasonable, " not At all. What is it p;
DO you know that there are FIVE wretched
creatures outside! ~
" haven't seen them but dare sav tbera
are
DO you doubt that there are 2''
No, not at all. There might be many
more
Are they men or women"
Women, L suppose Very likely one or
two of them were there last night. and the
night before last"
: There all night do you mean?'
Very likely"
My companion and looked at one another,
and the master of the wOrkhouse added quick
ly, Why, Lor bless my soul what am to
do Whatc lido? The place is full The
place is alws sfull-every night. / mustgive
the prefereT ito women with children mustn't
Il You W didn't have me not to do that %
Surely Iot," said L. .'It is q very hu-
name priL .iple, and quite right and 1 am
glad to hear of it. Don't forget that do not
blame y0N.'
"WelI, said he. And then subdued him.
self again.
"W hat L want to ask you, went on. sis
whether you know anything against those FIVE
miserable beings sutside ?'
Don't know anything about them said
he, with a wave Of his arm.
- L ask, for this reason that we mean IN
give them trIfie to get lOdging-if they are
not shelterless because they are thieves for
instance. You don't know them to be thieyes2;'
. don't know any thing about them, - he
repeated, emphatically.
- That is TO say, they are shut out solely be-
cause the ward is full ="
. And if they got in, they would only have
a roof Tor the night, and a bit of bread in the
morning, suppose ~
That's all. You'll use your own discre-
tlon about what you give them. Only under
stand that L don't know anything about them
beyond what have told you.
Just so. L wanted to know no more You
have answered my question ciyilly and readily.
and L am much obliged to you have no.
thing to say against you, but quite the contra
~. Good Knight -
''GOod- night, gentlemen ~ and out we came
again We went TO the ragged bundle nearest
TO the workhouse door, and touched il No
movement replying, I gently shook it. The
rags began to be slowly stirred within. and bv
little and little head was unshrouded The
head OF the young woman of three and four
and-twenty, as should judge, gaunt with want
ana foul with dirt, but not naturally ugly.
Tell US" said L. stopping down, Why are
you lying here l''
:" Because can't get into the workhouse.'
She spoke in 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 or my companion.
. Were you here last night
ies All last night And the night afore,
too"
. Do you know any Of these others?''
know her next but one. She was here
last night, and she told me she came out of Es-
sex. don't know no more Of her,
not been here all day2''
No. Not all day"
" W here have you been all day2''
About the Streets
." That have you had to eat"
g Nothing
Come :" said 1, think little You are
tired and have been asleep, aud don't ouits
consider what you are saying to US You nave
had something to eat to-day. Come. Think
OF iti'