Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1883-01-11
THE WATER WAIF.

A STORY OF LIFE ON THE RIVER
THAMES IN LONDON.
One afternoon, while walking through
Rotherhithe, London, on the Surrey
side of the Thames, having nothing
particular to think about, I could not
help noticing the queer sights that
met my eyes at every step I took in
the little marine suburb Of the great
city.
Rotherhithe is near the docks, and
the population are all, in one way or
the other, dependent upon the ship
ping interest of London. The small,
mean dwellings are occupied by ship
carpenters, rope makers, block MAX
ers. dredgers, boatmen. by proprietors
of slop shops, where sailors are fitted
out for sea; by lodging house keepers,
and other people who find their profit
and existence in dwellings near the
water. At the back of Rotherhithe
are situated the grand Surrey and
Commercial docks, covering several
acres, and many of the inhabitants of
Rotherhithe are employed in the docks
as laborers to load and unload ship
ping.
Marigold street, Cherry gardens,
Love lane, Paradise street, Coburg and
Neptune streets apd Swan lane all
project into the Thames, and the peo-
pie whom I met in these not very de
sirable localities had an aqueous look,
and even the dirty-regged little boys,
who are to be met at every door and
blind alley, have a roll in their gait,
which must have been transmitted by
hereditary succession from an ancestry
that went down to the sea in ships.
From every nasty grocery shop win
dow sailors dark blue flannel shirts
and Guernseys, canvas jackets, SOU
westers and tarpaulins swing to and
fro in the cheerful breeze which filters
through the dark streets from the wa
ter side.
The children were all ragged whom
[ met in the streets, and had pecu-
liarly sharp and suspicious look. At
the Cherry Garden pier, which runs
out into the water a long distance,
noticed a number Of those dirty,
ragged boys playing hop-scotch, leap
frog and other boyish games.
Among the crowd was one lad
about sixteen years Of age, who did
not seem to take much interest in the
games of his companions. He sat
apart and was looking listlessly out on
the river, with the gay shipping and
the steamboats, going to and fro. l
had taken seat to look at the river
on an elevation of the pier, and
could not help noticing the boy who
sat alone and quiet, while the shouts
and glorious rout of his companions
assembled to the sky.
Presently he arose, and coming to-
ward where sat, he asked for char
ity. | gave him penny and said to
him:
"Why do you not work instead Of
begging?'
The boy looked at me and said. after
vainly attempting to force back teal
from his eye:
Zoos, master, | can't get any work
No one will give poor blolze like mt
hany work. haint got no close only
these ere, and no one wants to see {
cove as hasn't got no close"
"Well,' said /, chow do you gair
living? Have you any parents o.
homer"
II used to have a father as wo;
wolloping OF me, He wos dred
| ger on the river, and he had a Petel
boat and he used to take me out in Il
to help him. He used to dredge al
night sometimes. and when Goa
barge wos sunk we use to get Goals
| and we alters sold 'em Sometimes h,
/ got sixpence a basket for EN-. an(
/ lID.M " 1919. X: -. d. - III. sxxr4-1 L