Delaware state journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1870-1883, 1872-03-12
THE HOLLY TREE COFFEE ROOMS.

THE HOLLY TREE COFFEE ROOMS.
A Boston correspondent oil the Christian
Union gives the following account of the
new Boston notion and oil the great work
the rooms are doing in the cause OF temper
ance and morality. The writer says;
You know ''lhe Hub" is forever boa sting
of some last new wrinkle, but do believe
we have found one at last which even New
York may be glad to hear Of, Brooklyn al
ways did have a kind of yearning tender
ness for Boston, like Younger sister toward
an elder, so | am a going 10 tell you what
"ihe Hub" has been doing, in the hope that
Brooklyn may some day follow In her foot
steps,
When returned from Europe about two
years ago found the prohibition law against
drinking had passed six months before in
certain wards Of this city; among others tue
ward in which | live. II seemed 10 me !
had never seen so many men drunk in the
streets before. My own grocer had started
private tap in u dark corner of his shop.
The whole vicinity had suffered percepiible
degradation. Gas lamps tiared in new
corner store until 10 O'Clock at night, while
the policemen stood ltll on the opposite
side winking at the glare, harmless and in
capa BILE as the good natured OK. A friend |
of mine stopped one Of these officers one
day, "Are you busy just now?" she asked.
mo-" WAS the reply. 81 wish you would
come into my house or a moment, then; l
wish to ask you a question" Safely closet
ed with the policeman, the question was
put. How many drinking shops lave been
opened in our ward since the prohbitorY
law was passed." "Just one hundred"
was the prompt answer. What d. you
think of having hot coffee sold cheaper than
drink at little shop near The worst drink
ing place2" Think it would do first rate
and do lots OF good" "DO you know a
man to keep such shop in case can get
the money 10 start III" mot this moment,
but think ! can bring you one il you will
give me three days" "rake three days"
said my friend. "ln the meantime will
sec what can do, and we will have a busi-
ness meeting at the end of that time" The
policeman really became quite CHEEKY at the
prospect of being of the least use in the
world, and went away with the nearer ap
proach to a twinkle in his eye than ! ever
believed one OF that profession capable Of
befare.
My friend tells me that queer feeling nf
having embarked on Al long exped.lion,
where all was fog before aud nehnd, took
possession of her mind. But there was Just
one spot of light, and that was enough. 1t
showed the need, ana shiningup in her
face, bending over, showed the instrument.
Punctualy AT the end ollhTee days returned
our policeman, bringing one Of the uighI
corps with hun, who was worn oul with his
severe duties and obliged 10 ind new oc.
cupation. They had hunted up a house
excellent tUr The purpose as they imagined,
highly respectable, rent about 81 500 pei
annum. AN said my fileno, where !!
the fifteen hundred dollars 10 come FROM
Do you think oosee at five cents cup will
pay that, no mater how excellenlr Oui
Coaee shop once started should be sell sup
10 n 10 DpnnlH a
Of the poor house. Besides that street is toe
respectable No, no, | will find you shop
Come back 10 morrow and we will Sc,
what can be DONE That night my fnenl
tells me, there was such a peerlng abou
among crazy old drinking shops by people
with good clothes on as has not been seel
Tor many long day. At last place wa
found at $500 per annum, and after a few
preliminaries every thing was arranged
This was the mustard seed out Of which hal
grown "The Holly Tree Coffee Rooms,
already known and frequented by crowd
of people daily. The name was borrowed
from CHARLES Dickens, for these shops wer,
Just what lie could most enjoy. His por
trait, too, hangs in every place bearing Thu
inviting name. Whoever has known TN
p easant cafes aud inns Ofthe continent 10
Europe will at once understand how ou
people would appreciate these shops. Many
men drank wbiskey because they we're cold
and whisky was all ready for ten cents il
the corner store. Now, when they fn(
coffee all ready for five cents, aud the read
ing OF The morning parer thrown in, as j
usually is, they Of course go To the shol
where they can gei the most tor their money
When the first holly tree took root, work
ing women stopped at hall past six o'clCcl
in the morning tn take breakfast there nov
and then they would come for dinner. A
last they found that too many men weI
crowding in, it was not pleasant for them
and there was no way but TO set up a sccon'
establishment. Here the result was th
same; so with the third and fourth. Al las
we sad there must be one 'fOr ladies,
with lodging room overhead, where lOdg
int and food may be had at cost. That, toe
was accomplished, and already unlooke
tor results begin TO appear. The neighboT
hoods in which the shops arc estAblishe
gain daily in responsibility. Drinking SHOP
have been closed in their vicinity; wrils hay
been served in other low places. II
dviduals who were slowly going down hi
have taken new start upward, and wivl
and chldren wear better clothes than fol
merly, and sometimes 60 to the lhay in Il
evening with the father, and Oftner
church on Sunday.
The lodging house for girls, with I'll
Holly Tree" underneath, has become
point of reunion, where once a month ey
meet for social enjoyment. Nothing cOu
be more truly social and, consequent
more thoroughly delightful, than these pa
ties. For the first time 10 the history OF o
large cities, those persons of utterly dilfe
ent experience, yet sisters before the Lor
come together without restraint and witho
reserve. There is usually found some Ia
ent for amusement among such varied a
sembly, and the impromptu entertainme
is followed by tea and coffee, served IN u
coffee room. Ii is already becoming d
thing most desired by ladies in society TO
invited 10 these parties, and the workil
girls already gather in sucn numbers as
Ill the good sized parlors.
To carry tubs work on fifty, TO give 4
people who frequent the coffee rooms Il
reading oil daily papers, aud good dina
on Christmas, and the working women
library and decent bed TO sleep on,
course requires a small fund to be placed
the hands OF those who stand at the helm.
OF all the many ways OF assisting 0
less lOntunale brothers and sisters, this
surely the most satisfactory. They are D
made to feel themselves paupers thereh
there is , giving away Of food or lodg
except TO the destitute. They ray sor WI
they have as well as others, but they are
longer made to suffer and pay Tor the req
Of fine stores, or degra led, as the oliy alto
native, to use bad liquor
It's wonderful how The plan has work
of cleaning up these out OF the way sl0l
putting clean paiut where 1t is needed a
making the best Of coffee at the lowest p,
sibe price, besides coffee one n.get tea a
drst rate bread and butter, and soup, a
meat, aud chowdsr, and pies, sufficient v
riety for a go1d breakfast, dinner, and
any day in the week.
There are no such places as these
America for bringing one into relations wi