Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1878-12-10
- = = -
John BLYTHE'S NAMESAKE.

John Blythe and the minister were
walking down town tog ether. John al
ways walked, having nothing to ride
except his hobbies, which his friends de-
clared he rode to death. But there was
such an ver-increasing stud of those
unpopular and costly racers that he was
never without half dozen reasonably
fresh ones. And one of them, however
hard ridden, came up, unbreathed and
active, for service every day. John could
not remember when he had not been alb
sorbed in the hope and the work of re-
forming prisoners, and of saving from
crime the street Arabs who become
prisoners. When he was six years old he
had been permitted a birthday party,
with the precious liberty of inviting the
guests Ibis self'' But when the after
noon arrived, his unsuspecting mother
found her pretty parlors invaded by
twelve little gutter -snipes not much
cleaner as to vocabulary than as to person
John grew more and more radiant with
delight at each grimy and Sinking arrival,
so that his mother had hardly the heart
To call him to account. And when she
took him apart to say, Johnny, how
could you bring those dreadful boys into
mammals nice clean house?" he looked I'D
with such panied amazement that she
was silenced, stWlly, mamma he said,
you told me might invite which twelve
little boys | choosed, and choosed these,
cause L knew they didn't ever go to
birthday before, Mrs. Blythe felt an
uneasy apprehension that practical Chris
tianity might be little uncomfortable in
general user But remembering certain
Divine prescription of the etiquette per
tanning to a feast, which insisted on the
bidding Of them who could not bid again,
she only said, "Wel1, Johnny, tell mann
ma beforehand next time And now we
nust take all your little friends up to the
bath room and give them scrub, before
they play with the toys"
Which very remarkable attention the
young vagabonds received, by means
whereof they would have remembered the
day forever as set apart from all others in
their limited experience, had it not also
been set apart as a bewilderment of
games, cakes, beautiful surroundings, and
double handfuls of. candy as a sort of
stirrup-cup. faas42
The John of six and thirty was hardly
more conventional and no whit more
selfish than the John of six. And now he
scheme of his for deporting certain bad
characters to new field, where he be-
lieved they would reform. "You are toe
hard on them, Egerton, he was saying,
in his vehement way. Il tell YOU, we
make 'em thieves and keep 'em thieves,
and then shut 'em up, because they are
thieves, in places where they shed their
thieves skin and come out something
worse It's the logic of events. I've
got some friends in Rag pickers' Row
carriage people-drive a dog in a soap box
these aristocrats Sometimes I drop in
there when | think the world is too care
less Of my high mightiness. It's nasty
cure for peevlshness, but thorough. The
Row has its water view-a mud puddle
that is never dry, inhabited by an ague
that's never at home, but always out
calling In the neighborhood The rooms
are ten by twelve. a family in every ROOM
and at least ten souls, or cases for souls,
IN every family. The lower the breed.
the larger the litter always. What do
these creatures breathe7 Air2 No; stinksl
What do they eat? Food2 No; garbage!
Whatdo they wear2 Clothes? No; rags
and infectiOnl What fluid is in their veins?
Blood? No; poisoni What do they do?
Liver No; pntrefy, body and bones, heart
and braini The brats are turned into the
street as soon as they can toddle, to beg
or steal They get into the Tombs, OF
course, and on the Island, and SO to Sing
Sing, and SO to bad death. In short,
they're born in hell, and live in hell.
And l declare to you again that don I
believe a just and tender Father will give
them hell hearafier till they We had at least
chance 9asn 1ssi4 slsss5 Sn
my dear John, said his friend. ayou
can't wash convicts clean in baths Of
sentiment. You yourself wouldnt trust q
convict's repentance without long proba.
ton. There's great deal to be said on
the other side; but this is my corner, and