The Penn's Grove record., 1883-12-15

But there was n cry, generally of
the early morning, that was full of
mournfuf suggestion to every kind
heart. This was ''Sweep, swept for
it meant that some miserable ''climb-
ing-boy' was ready to perform his
painful and often dangerous task. l
remember such poor boys very well,
but always as thin, ha~lf-staryed cres-
lures, with only ONE light sooty raj
ment; and / think it was with bare feet
they always climbed. They we're
obliged to prove that they mounted to
the Top of the chimney by thrusting
their brush out of the c~himney-pot, the
master sweep going into the street to
watch io- the sign of achievement.
Often and often these poor little crea-
lures came down the chimney bleeding
at the knees and elbows, and nearly
always, / think, In tears. The poor
little sweep was held up as an object of
compassion to happier children, who,
l hope, sometimes saved a bit of cake
or a penny to give him.
Since machines have happily super
seeded climbing-boys, a class of people
certainly superior to the old chimney
sweeps have taken up the business,
and, as q consequence, the mummeries
of the sweeps IN the first of every May
have been very much abated. But
these mummeries are said to have had
their origin in a romantic story, which,
whether literally true or not, was very
characteristic and quite believed in by
a multitude of people when l was a
child.
1t was said hat about the middle of
the eighteenth century a little boy of
noble birth was lost by his nurse in
London streets, probably stolen for the
sake of the rich clothing he wore. The
child was of tender age, only about
three Or four years old, and though
every effort was made to him
time passed on without any tldings of
the boy reaching the bereaved parents.
One first of May, however, a fine Londl
on house was undergoing the process
known as spring-cleanlng, when, OF
course, chimneys must be swept, and a
miserable, ragged little c~limbing-boy,
OF eight or nIne years old, was intro
duced into the drawing-room for the
purpose of executing his allotted task,
We can imagine that, accompanied by
his master, he had no time to look
around the room before entering the
dark chimney; but 1T would appear
that he descended a little sooner than
expected and found himself alone in the
spacious apartment. When he was
discovered the child was in a flood Of
tears, yet gazing through them on a
portrait OF a lady which hung on the
wall. Tn being Intercepted, he ex-
claimed:
81 know that picture-it is my
motheri"
Perhaps the child remembered other
things which served to convince his
parents of his identity; or perhaps
there was a family likeness which per-
suaded them. However this might be,
they were satisfied that they had re-
covered their lost darling, and rescued
HIM ut once from his bondage. So the
tale runs; though l never heard what
account the master sweep gave of his
acquaintance with the poor child, But
kidnapping was a not uncommon crime
In those days; and it is to be feared,
when a little boy was brought to a
master sweep to be apprenticed, few
questions were asked.
1t was said to BE- in commemoration
of the rescue OF this child from his
cruel servtude thatfor many years the
first of May was kept as q festival by
London chimney-sweepers. The Mrs.
Montague of Questioning celebrity
used annually to entertain all the little
chimney-sweepers in London, inviting
them 10 her own mansion and garden,
wishing them, as she SAID, to enjoy one