New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-01-04
"IRISH STE w."
A PATHETIC SCENE IN A LONDON CHARITY.
From The TelesTaDh

n Ia lie IL HOENG lN n bONDOA' -
From The telegraph
With the tempcrature again below freezing point.
and in an atmosphere of chilling mist that struek 10
the heart even of the warmly clad. ana must nave
been bitterly felt by the bare-footed, mlsera1Iy
covered men. women and children who yesterday
gRlered together from the poorest courts ana
alleys in and around Stepney sght never 10 ne
forgotten was presented 10 q lew klnd ana nelpIul
spectators in Conder-st. SllmOn's-lane and drew
tears from not Il few of those eyes that looked
upon If.
Liberal as was the dole of warm and savory food
on which COO starving creatures we're rendered ess
dcplorably wretcbed by kind hands at the London
Cottage Mission II was pteous to observe now mary
scores aud hundreds IA the desolate street outside,
had to turn mOuTnfuly from the entrance at when
many of them had waited from hali-past twelve
o'clock until nearly three.
hopeful face seemed to cheer many OF the most
disputcd among the guests, a. she moved quickly
To and fro was the chef assistant ot Mr. Austin ~
the distribution of the food. those VINO paltooh
thereof we've all expected 10 bring then own KNIVES,
forks, and plates, or basins: ana II was ptlaDN
strange TO see what kind of table furniture served rs
an apology for such civilized appiIances cracked
and broken eaIthenwaIe no two pieces alike,
battered lcadcn spoons, knives without handles,
forks with scarcely Il prong. anything III tact mar
would serve TO hold viCtull, ana 10 carry u nom
platter to mouth. dcckcd the wcll-scrubbcd boards,
ranged on trcstles with due regard TO space.
The raVcnous caeCrncss with which the portions
were clutchcd after the inpatient suspense that
could scarcely endure TO wait for blessing, lod It's
melancholy tale mother cried, before she ate,
because inCIC were OlItiS uol tutit uo N'tiA
have been glad o divide with he1 the smoking plate
full A little girl terribly hungry, refused to touch
. morScl until she was well assured that she might
carry home another portion. Whole families were
among ecrowd, and where any member had got
separated from the rest great was the amoniailou;
An cXcitemcni natural enough with unaccnstOmcd
visitors actually spread 10 the servers of the least
and for "A time botl Miss NaptOn and Mr.. Austin
were overcome by visible emotion. Grave CITY men
had n difficulty lii maintaining their usual stald
dcmcanor aud one of them, aitor struggling from
painfully agitated condition TO comparative cool
ness SAID. with subdued and earnest voice, ms
is a work of truc practical religion Practical,
indeed, even 10 small details was the lesson OF the
day. go =,
This kind of food has been scientifically demon
siratrd-tllough such demonstration was scarcely
no e. Sary-to be the most nOurishing that can Wen
be devised 10 meet the needs of the poor. Where
dire poverty and prIvation have no. driven the
family of the labOrer TO seek help outside MS nome.
the mixture of meat aud vegetables sparlug though
the coster half may be. AT tuc cheapest. the
most suflicng and the most pIatable food that can
be prepared on his hearth.