The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1859-03-05
The Youth ofLoHdor.

There is no more folorn sight than one Of
those little homeless, shoeless. ragged Be-
douns who wander about the streets Of a
large town. Poor children the regulation
phrase with regard to them is, that they
"iRfest thu Streets" but, after all, they
must be somewhere. 1t is not their fault
that they have been born, but, being born,
they must certainly drink, and probably
eat. No more practical economists than
these little barelegged philosophers. They
are made from the first hour Of their ragged
lives to know that labor is the founda-
ton Of "vaiue." The crust they MUNICH,
with an appetite which would excite the
wonder and admiration of the "Clubs," has
probably been earned by chasing o hor-e-
man about for couple Of hours on the
chance of job. Follow the little fellow
home" through pleasures and palaces
&c, home is the true test Of happiness af-
ter all. Well, his home is in an arch Of the
Adelphi when he is in luck and can afford
! to join his club. There, in the society Of
numerous little vagabonds in what
rnoralists call vice, but the term implies
consciousness Of the meaning ct the term
vrtue-the little ragged urchin enjoys him
self in his own filthy way. II fortune have
proved unhind, and not a penny is forth
coming 70 enable him TO cut q respectable
appearance among his comrades. then a
doorway, safe from the prying buis-eye OF
the stern policeman, is the refuge in which
he crouches or rolls himself up ike little
dirty human he'd dEehog and dreams OF 4 cup
/ of fragrant "saloop"-a luxury far beyond
! his means. Try and dive into that boy 5
mind, ye alumni Of the Social Sciences -
J ou will find the plunge not a very deep
one. Tie knows hunger, feels cold, appreci-
ates penTy; il struck he will strike cgsin,
! so that the striker be Of his own size: il not
/ he will shed smutty tears, and bite; but as
/ TO who he l., where he is, how he came
there, Of life or death, Of Greater. Re
/ deemer, world beyond the grave, lie really
. knows 70 Tnore than young puma. w hat
is the end Of such child: Ask Policeman
L. A, ask the Sitting Magistrate" ask the
Sessions Clerk at the Central CrimiUa
Court, ask the Superintendent Of ConyictS
if you would read the third volume and con
cludlEg chapters OF his ugly biography
1t was no great wonder that lie should ruy
such a career, for it would have screly puz
zed him to lind another He was driver
by mere hunger 10 petty theit-theit made
him the companion of thieveS-the habit ot
theft became inveterate-one crime led tc
another, and then the den. From the frs
the sloppy streets helpless baby, to b'
pinched that he might squall a copper or st
ont Of the passer by. until he stands beetle
browed ruf.ian in highlows in the dock 0
the Old Bajlv. we have thus endeavored t
state in a cursory manner the ways AMI pro
gress of the bastard child OF civilization.
is a sad enough story, but on wLic!. IS la
mentally true.
Now, We have not time TO draw the con
trast OF the other little descendant Of Adam
born in the purple-ied on milk and mo
ther 5 kjs>es-his gums humored with cora
and his little bare head cjnctured wit
lac. through the various sta-es Of Noah
Ark" \ stands for apple" Ur'ectis, Long
and shorts; the Church Catechism. E
about Troy. the AsSes' Bridge. the Thirty
: nine articles. Pears5n on tie {, eeI and :
: on through all arts and sciences. Had lii
tie ragged Tommy been an y. N, and cal
ed to the Bar, and dear Frederick bee
trained in the Adclphi Arches. the resui
might have been difftrens.-LO1,dOh Time,