The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1883-04-07
Life In the Streets.

Though bad enough IN American cities,
the life Of the children Of the streets here
Is nothing to what II Is IN Europe. Ore
has only to turn to the pages In Mayhew's 3
'Iondon Labor" to find In the accounts
given by tho children themselves, the ex-
treme hardship Of their lives. A little
watercress seller, eight years old, with no
childish ways or thoughts, and with
wrinkles IN her face where the dimples
ought to be. may be taken as an example
OF the sufferiDgs Of the very young, not
only theu, but In countless cases now.
She sold watercresses at the rate of four
punches for penny, making profit OF
| four-pence day. She had a home, and
IN this degree was IN adva,lce Of many,
othere Of her class. But those wii0 cher
lsh children of eight years In brighter
homes can best understand the terrible
hardshlps implied in this poor little
traders account Of herself. The water
crosses had to be bought at Harrington
Market before six O'Clock In the morning,
and from six o'clock till ten, she travcrsed
the streets to sell them, before tasting
food. What simple eloquence of poverty
IL IN few Of her answers to the questions
asked by the compiler Of the booki Its
very cold,' she replied, before winter
comes on rog'lar-specially getting up of a
morning. l get up In tue dark, by the
light OF the lamp III court. When the
snow is on the ground, there's no 'cresses."
bears the cold-you must; so l puts my
hands under my shawl, though 1t hurts
'em to take hold Of the crt sses, especially
when we takes 'em to the pump to wash
'em. No, never sec any children crying
its no uSe.'
The vast number of ncwspaper-boys and
flowcr.girls earn less than sixpence a day,
in return for which poor wages the little
traders wander till late at night IN the
great public school Of anything but high
influence or good example. The stand
keepers look upon them az rivals; they
say tho children, as Sellers prevents
others living, aud rufus themselves; aud
at least one half of the jealous remarks 10
too often sadly true. Large numbers of
them have no settled dwelling, or the
worst substitute for home. Many take
their meals III the streets, buying penn
'orth Of pudding as a sustaining dinner
and the homeless, or those that are afraid
to 60 home with stock unsold, find refuge
in crowded lodging houses, or hide in
stairs or markets, or JIG in some corner
under dry arch.
Other children who live and have their
being in the streets are of still poorer
and more numerous class, though some of
them are included in the class OF free
traders. They buy in the markets and
sell at the corners; but they moro frc-
quently live by their Wits dishonesty or
honestly, and dong odd jobs, such as
holding horse or carrying parcel
Joe, In '.3leak House." forms the typi.
cal representative Of the whole class, or at
least Of tho hundreds that, in reference TO
the rest OF humanity, arc more sinncd
against than SHINING, even Ill that untaught
struggle for existence. Joe ls living por-
trait; there Is not a touch of exaggeration
aSout.lt; and some there are who hold
that the boy crossing. with his
wfole life and character dashed in by Il
few touches, ls the finest character drawing
the novelist ever did, and as noble preach,
Ing for humanity's sake as was ever found
In popular fiction. Joc's ignorance Is
extreme, but not without a glimmering,
that family brghtens and goes out. His
mind is. blank but he has conscience
God made him, and man neglected him.
Lie is described III half dozen words we
all have seen him--'vcry muddy, very
hoarse, very ragged" lie can say for
himself that he never got into trouble,
'cept not KNOWN nuthln' and starwa.
tlon." lie knows that broom is broom
and that lie ls bad; and when he is re-
quested to tell the truth he has a forcible
formula "Wlshermay die 1t don't sir |"
There is one jewel In him, among the
mud, the hoarseness and tho rags-one
diamond. He has heart; he has graft.
tude, "IIe wuz very good to me. he
wuz |" cries poor Joe against his ragged
sleeve, when tho man who had said kind
words to HIM, the namcless, friendlcss
man, ls "stltchcd dead That part of
the portrait may, be dlsbelicvcd, but only
for want Of knowledge Of the poor. II
there is no warmth of feeling, no faithful
ness, no gratitude, 1t is because there has
been no sympathy.