The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-01-28
WHERE THE HOMELESS SLEEP.

"Don't BIO SO fresh, young fellow; just take your
time. was the pointed rebuke OF the doorkeeper Of
the shiioh Rest to HERALD reporter who strove Ia
the line OF sppIcans for lodging a recent ighi and
where professional Instincts had led him 10 attempt
bit of bulldozlng TO get ahead ofhs pcii,ors III
the ranks. The reproof was sufficient even had IL not
boon coupled with the mysterious threa, OF recgaiins
him to the company OF tho '.nine oclocks ana was
M encctua as a returning board IN repressing HIS
ambition for the untraclod OF the rights Of
American citizenship A desire tor u more intimate
Wow of the way Of life OF u portion OF his fellow
creatures than could otherwise be obtaucd had in
duced the reporter TO JON their ranks tho 'Shlch
Rest" for night. Tho iattor institution, be It known
to the nine-tcuths OF the community who know not
how the other tenth OF their nc,ghbors--the ab-
jectly poor-liyc, is a true asylum for that sci.
dom pted but often truly deserving casz--
the able-bodied destitute OF great CITY,
aud Is a praiseworthy charity in every respect Tho
building In tho Old shiloh African Methodist Episco
pal church, ut the of Prince and Marion
streets. Being vacated by the coorcd congregation i
was rented and lifted up for its present about
year ago by well known retired merchant of lhis
city, who supplies funds for maintennncc, but
refuses to allow his name 20 be publicly known Ia
motion with IT, The courtesy OF the superintendent
gave the reporter the privilege of selecting posi-
ton OF his couch The basement, with its eishtysix
hunks, was too strongly suggestive Of tho Morguc or
OF long row OF collins lacking only the lid and loot
board The galleries, and what was once the domain
Of the colorcd choir, Is tho most comfortable and
choicest division of the dormi,ory resort OF
the moneyd portion of the habitafs cents nightly
being required from each occupant, while the Of
the building all GOOD behaviour tenure.
The pew seats, lfty-six III number, have been sawed
out and filled IA with comfortable hammocks. Haiti
es OF the house presenting themselves before pina
O'Clock are gwen the preference Alter that hour
they must take their chances with new
Seldom It. however hatany one presenting evidence
A hnt mad Alrn MI
''shakedo~n" VIII DO found tor hun, and he rs not
usually hard TO satisfy in tho basement the reporter
fingered about the "dryina room'' In the durnitory
talking II allowed ut all, rs carried ON in low tone.
In the former however, where twenty -four men.
allowed each night the privilege OF washing thcir
clothes, each being furnished with a tun, plenty OF
soap hot water and facilities for drying his solitary
suit, conversation unrestricted, there IL ample
opportunity tor observing tho moral well the
physical make up of the patrons of tho institution.
As might be supposed, the genus tramp wen repre-
scented, though that large proportion OF the appli
cants most deserving OF the aid extended them
readily ON the entrance or the reporter the
trainps, who wore the predominatDg element vice.
II not IN nuinoers, were hoans sort OF experience
meeting, ana loudly and slcefuliy narrated the hnp
and mshaps OF tho last campaign tho
road. The details of their poverty the abectncss OF
their necessities story which the honest mechanic
beside them could not reveal IA his own case without
reluctance ana shamsiacedness, even 10 tho sympa-
thzng ears OF Charity, were hugely humorous matters
the eyes Of these graceless Gypsics. Plenty rum
plenty Of tobacco enough food TO satisfy the cravings
OF hunger, a place OF shelter to crawl night
and-a little aud tobacco, all without money
and without work-such was about the result OF their
lite experience requirements existence on
this pianet-thc sum total OF human needs and human
happiness One OF them. who. by his vagabond airi-
or's prison. the Zephyr claimed Tho reporter as a
fellow craft, gave him highly embellished shake OF
having met him the road IN Pennsylvania last sea-
son. "fou was hoohng ~ TO Delaware peach =
plckin'' said he. sand me and my partner were gong
to Philadelphia to see the Centennial We all three
stopped at an old Quaker's, on the state road,
back OF Kennett square. Put In the barn made
chop wood IN the morning Tor our breakfast. Fed us
on rusty bacon. mush aud sorghum Remember
just exactly put goose egg on the old pum's She
bang, so as the BOYS II givn II the 20 by" And the
fellow looked though he felt thai he had taken 4
revenge on the old Quaker In dcprvng him u
the vs'tatons OF coming tramps Yet the majority OF
the group anu as the reporters observation extended
OF the OF the house OF different stamp.
able to obtain the opportunity 10 utilize their SKIN,
broken down merchants, clerks out OF employment,
she learned professions were represented, aud
these. abashcd by their position, shrunk from obser.
vation ana hesated at conversation.
A soRRowguL PICTURE
A few, however, were found willing to mpart
something OF their history when Judlciousiy
approached One Of these about
thrty with exceedingly intelligent, though haggard
and carcworn face, had been a clerk excellent
salary Boston sickness had deprived him OF his
situation and exhausted every resource Unable ia
lind employ ment there like thousands OF Others he
had driited the metropolis only TO with
luck rwo months had passed. and in spite OF every
| endcavor he nearer success than before. He
homeless, riendicss, penness, half starved. In
that dreares OF places TO one IN his situaona great
city. HIS wife child were scarcely Keeping body
and soul together on the scaDty subsistence furnished
py her needle in distant Boston He had at last
ali hope and looked the picture Of despair. 'Read
that said he. IL letter IRON his wife, written
IN a delicate, lndyIkc hand, and STRIVING. with
wiicly courage to impaY to her absent the
hope she evidently did not herself feel "Ae such
dear, good little boy" It SAID, land tries be
company for Today when felt particularly weary
and sad, no and laid his little hand on my
lace, and SAID what makes you worry, mamma!
60 S s
with half choked SOB and added Eyes. but not In
this world The reporter vainly endcavored TO cheer
HIM up offered him what little he could and
promised ind those who would interest themselves
IN his and aid him He could not awaken his
tercst arouse him from the numbng icthargy OF
hopccssness which had succeeded hts outburst o!
iecing. And such IS but ono life history among many
Probably the sequel will be unrecocnzcd corpse
the Moreue and "a brief newspaper PARAGRAPH while
distant city mother and child await the long looked
tor summons meet papa when only the mcrcliul
death angel will bring In fact there was much food
Tor reflection stimulus for the sympathes
tcmplang tins homogeneous gathering with It's strange
blending OF human lives, human passions and hun.aR
suferngs, at .'SnIioh Rest within sight OF BRIGHT
busy Broadway. ana WITHIN sound OF the roar OF tho
great almost confronting throngs,
whom It's phases of human lite would be revelation
OF another existence novel the gmpses afforded
US OF another world by the kiraify cenil.
| rEw LETTING, MODE
Imbbing the equality ana fraternity sentiment OF
tho place. the reporter selected one OF the downstairs
pcws Tor his couch Here the sleeper has the
OF the plank only, and has usually companion tho
| floor beneath him. each being supplied with wooden
pillow. His sleeping apartment had been most chg
ibe pew fronting the pulpit ana close 10 the 'mourn-
cr's Dench about which the pous enthusiasm VI ths
colored brethren wont to crystalline IN
time past Thc occupant mused. but could not
sleep. Tho situation was novel one BY scores they
flock cd n poor homeless ones their iily-cad shriv-
eed frames expanding IN the genital warmth thrown
out by Two huge, blazing stoves. The attendants
fitted silently about alloting the hew comcrs to their
plnces their lanterns, the only lights IN the house.
play ing fantastic tricks OF light ana shadow atnwart
the faces the slccpcrs along the asics and adown
the walls OF the great barn-ikc building Tho SUPER
intcndcnt. seated In the pulpit once occupied by tho
coiorcd shepherd Rhaddmant thus like directed tho
firth tim Qf thC uS
entered from the world piacard on the wall
besought gentlemen not to spit IN the pcws; another
informed those whom II might that elcmosy
buttons thread and needles could be procured 90
application at headquarters; n third announced that
for two cents could obtain below stairs In tho
morning much 'mush'' as one could possibly eat,
and trightully scedy gentleman who claimed TO have
Of