Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1871-02-24
. : ,THEzGAZET'TE.
FRIDAY! EVENING, FEBRUARY a.

YoBNa Thieves At SUPPER. Wright,
the humble philanthropist whose endeavorS to
reclaim the dangerous classes Of the metropolis
are ALREADY familiar to the public, gave yesterr-
day evening one of his singular suppers to such
BOYS of Deptford as could show at least one CON
yiction for felony as their title to card OF inyl-
tation. The place chosen as the scene OF the
strange festival was the Gospel Mission Hall, in
Hall street, .Deptford, and in this place about
$50 boys were assembled at SIX yesterday even
ing, The company, We are informed, con
sisted partly of juvenile 'smashers, or passers
of base coin, and partly Of thieves who prey Or
diparily on butchers and cheesemongers' shops,
and other places in which trade is carried on in
omen windows Supper, which consisted of the
usual pea soup, favored with Australian beet
and mutton, and great hunks Of bread, Was In
trduced precisely at o'clock, and the appear
ance of the attendants with the cans was the
signal for vociferous cheering from the boys.
They all fell to at once and with will, and the
rapidity With which they each emptied one, two,
and generally three large basins OF their Spar
tan broth in succession was perfectly astonish-
ing to the visitors Ned, having allowed his
guests thoroughly to enjoy themselves, proceed
ed to address to them one Of his peculiar ramb-
linz, but at bottom thoroughly earnest and i'm
proving discourses. First, Gods blessing was
asked on the humble meal which had been SO
highly relished, and then Ned gave out and the
boys Joined in hymn, the latter picking up the
words with a quick intelligence, and singing
sweetly and in good time, although at times
with q little snperauOus energy. Hardly was
own juvenile "reminiscences of Depttord. He re-
numbered when quite lad, passing along the
Dcptford road handcuffed, and waiting for what?
A hundred young shri voices shouted together
THE bus |, which We We're Informed. was the
polite term for the prison van. a picture was
then drawn of what manhood such youthful
adventures led up to; and the interest taken by
the audience was evidenced by many Il charac-
teristic ejaculation. A skillful comparison was
next made between "hcr Majesty's bus and
the comfortable bus Of honest life, land the boys
were earnestly exhorted to make lites future
Journeys, if possible, in the latter. The usual
mixture of hymn and exhortation followed, Ned
speaking with an atfectionate earnestness which
brought tears in the eyes Of many of the boys,
and in conclusion he appealed to all who wish
ed to lead IN honest lite to hold up their hands,
promising them plenty of work if they would
meet him in the morning at the railway arch in
the old Kent road About half the assemblage
held up their hands with great readiness, but
the other half thrust them down. as if more en-
phatlcaily 10 lnQlcaCe tnelr Objection 10 DtluS
reformed
10 the course of the lecture striking instance
was afforded of the familiarity of the audience
with our criminal annals Ned having commenced
very graphic description of the career of a
young murderer whose trial and execution he
had himself witnessed, forgot the name of his
hero, and on appealing to the boys TO assist his
memory with the name, the shrill voice of Il
mere child shouted out Mickey from re-
mote corner Of the room. The proceedings termi-
mated with hymn and prayer, in which about
half the boys remained to join, and when Ned
asked them whether they would sit or knee, the
whole OF the boys present preferred the more
reverential posture -London Ners.