Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1883-12-14
THE POOR LONDON.
some Sad Pictures Of Life in the
Worlds Metropolis.
from the London Telegraph.


In q court in the immediate vicinity of
Maidstone place VIC found nest of tiny
novels of two rooms, the size of which can
he imagined when it is mentioned that IN this
neighborhoood CT high rents all that was de-
manded for each abode was four shillings and
slxpencc weekly. But perhaps they went
cheaper on account Of the shocking state of
dilapdation which they were in. Seven
persons lived here, the parents, four small
children and young man. The last men
toned poor fellow was broodng over n
wretched fire in the broken fireplace in a
melancholy mood. In pursuit Of his trade as
machinc-printer he had lost two fingers Of
his right hand few months since and had
Just found his first job on coming out of
hospital at tea warehouse, but chest had
accidentally fallen on the mutia'cd limb and
here he was, crippled again. He apologized
to us for some scraps and remnants OF food
| that were spread about the table. I'VE
dare not keep anything in the cupboard" he
exclaimed. ''bccuuse of the flies" "But at
this time of year." remarked, "hies are not
numerous "Oh not the common Sort"
returned the young man, ''them that mean
are not regular flies they are longer. The
kirchen belonging to the pudden shop out in
Church street backs on to our wall, and they
works their way through, | suppose" The
circumstances in this case were exceptional,
but as regards the difficulties of keeping
food" in those wretuhcd houses the com
plant Is common one that, even II they had
the money, it would lie waste to lay in u
stock for more than n single days con
sumption OF either butchers meat or OF
butter and bread, even if the ist-n named
happened to b. warm fram the oven. The
fDuncsss ot the air (thc ''closeness" 1t is call
ed) soon turus the meat bad and the butter
rank, and the bread gets taste, as one
poor lDdger iut rmed me, "as though it had
been dipped in alum water In scores OF
rooms lhe dodgers are compelled every night
TO take what food they may be possessed OF
ont of the cupboard and securely cover il
over on the table as security against the raw
ages Of rats and mice. Thc houses being SC
rotten aud the walls 50 broken, it is found tc
he impossible to keep out this class of yer
min.
In one house in Tie court (No. 81 we caut
on the most pitifnl spectacle our afternoons
exploration hal brought 10 light. Here, ii
the front paror, which was Of the ordinary
dimensions of about 50 feet by nine and {
half with walls br >ken and black and {
ceiling to match, with a crazy fireplace ant
fjor boards dlnsiet than the stree
pavement, lay poor woman moan
irg in pain, and very seriously i'll. Sh
had, it seems, recently bccu patient a
one OF the metropolitan Hospitals her ailmen
b-ing an internal tumor. Why she had lef
OF beeh discharged | could not uu !crstand
and She was sull so bad that the medical Nisl
: to, icom neighborine inhrma.y had prom
J, is"d that as soon as there WAS a bed vacant a
thc establishment he represented she shoul
: be removed thithcr. The bclstaad was q
: the stump pattern, and the bed and b d
ding, though not 81 unsigltly as many it ha
= bucn my painful du,y TO dcscrbe, was d,
: plorlb'y dirty. The bcdstcad occupied full
: half OF the ro IN space, and, with table ~
c der the window, lett scarce room to squeez
J. throu.h to Tie wrctchtd fireplace. The tab
e WAS piled with lucier match.boses In prC
:, cess Jf making and there was the accom-
i panyDg odor OF our paste. There was
) stout young woman a. work nt the boXc
&c her age being probably 90 The father, q
s. out-of work labOrcr, was here too, and h
% informed us with an air Of satisfaction th'
&c he thought, since he couldn't pay the rel
1t for more cInyenicnt apartment, it W;
u fuituna,c that the family was not q larg
" one-his only other child being n grown-u
IL son, who slept at home. How or whc
: was n puzzle. There, as already me
toned was the poor creature on the on
bed, aud certainly no more room RENAME
on it TINA the father should occupy
yet, besides, thrr. vas the grownup 50
and the grown-up daughter, and, as hi
'f stated, the room was MT logger than eigh
~ feat one way by say, ten feet the oht
a They've pom sei my Niie n he'd at the i
L. i'rmlty as SON rs there il onr vac mt. an
~ hope it woa't be long fist remarked t
'al husband "jcc !usc can't help thinking III
81 na'. a "a t.s 1il of not q
RI there than l}ing here" Il may have be
ne the painful nature Of her dscis', poor Gre
At turc, th,t i'nps:ich to her face ita rhGs'ly {
90 r"ess!ca, hut il St cmtd t. ne, as she turn
q to not us grlt fui good by rs We cal
1i away that, un'ess tha promised bed hccar
ne vacant in II very short time, II would bc t
nf Into 10 ha OF nnY serYicp to htr.