The sun., 1884-02-17
TIE CRY or SUFFERING LONDON
Tho Distress aad Privations OF the Middle
Glasses In EpR1nnd.


Tho Distress aad Privations OF the Middle
Glasses In EaRjand.
LONDON, Jan 3t,--The wretohfd poor Of
Jsnthon hAve raised their dreary cry and boon
hoard. grand movement IN on foot 10 bviag
shIltor food. and. better still decency, W tho
desoiafs 0,tcfr,ts. and yet tho rciteration Of
thoir pisifwl appeal pruslaims the Inc fllcicbcy
Of tho meaaaros already taken for their raliof
Theae wretehed humaR beings are more nissr-
able porhars when srow,lsl in thoir foul deDs
thHn when honioless and wandering in tho
porer uir of tho cold, dark nxht. Not much
hrs been achieved as yet Tho pages Of pamph-
let's and columns OF newspapers have been
Maakenesi BY tho phtaaathr nRsl utopist: the
acrimonious poiemes of boards. societies. and
vestriss hnve been aired. and socioty-the
society that walks in silk attire-has enriehed
tho British vocabulary witha new word. Slam
.s.ing." and hs derivatives. II IL eeniuanted
kke ayerb:
Isnm. shs sums. Let US slum.
II IL flanked by adverbs and adiectives giving
u the grace and ,lelfcacy It intrinsically lacks:
little siuuniing. Some sweet stunning.
Tho aet it represents and tho ceremonies 1t
smbodies supersede for tho nonce the stale
conviviatitiss OF kettedrums and champagne
Mppers after tho naughtiest opera boufre and
Cinderella dances. 1t Ia caricatured and ridi-
euled just enough to advertise It properly and
stamp 1t with the hall mark OF fashionable
satire. II provides tho jaded London belle with
that little excitement which is the caviar. the
n,orphin tho choral Of her life. Has that
laughing. Idle pilgrimage OF the grdi,die dame
through filthy garrets. blind alleys. and loath-
some dens. followed by her train OF adoring
markers. and watched over at q distance by
couple Of armed detectives. anything III COM
mon with charity? How does it compare with
tho unpretendin9 example set not very long
aGo by n woman whose namo even is unknown
merged as it is in that OF her order2
AtSt Quentin. in France. u nun. a Little Sis
tor Of the Poor-a tender and familiar name
adopted to make charity moro homc!ike-went
nbout the city begging for the destitute and
hungry orphans whose misory 1t was her mis-
sion to relieve. Tho richest inhnbitant Of the
town Is u Grabbed. hot tempered bachelor. q
sardnt engrossed by his studies. In her rounds
the Sister knocked at the door Of his house.
The servant was under strict orders never to
Introduce any one in his masters study while
no was ut work. but he could not resist the
pleading tones and tho gray uniform OF the
Sister OF ST. Vincent. He showed her the way
up stairs. and prudcntly withdrew. Nothing
daunted. calmly. quietly the nun turned tho
handle and entered the sauctum. Furious at
the unwarrantod intrusion. the rich man rose.
and in impcrious tones bade her leave the
room. She stood motionless. proffering
her petition. and. with outstretched hand
murnluring the soft words. For the
poor. II you please" Forgetting his manhood
in his senseless passion the man struck that
outstratched hand The nun bent her head Q
little lower under the blow. then lifting it
gently. said. In tho same unruffied tones:
That was for me. Now what will you give for
my children9" She had conquered. and the
richest donation the Little Sister Of the Poor
ever received came from that crusty old bach
elor OF st. Quentin. But IL there exists. alas.
with too cruel a realism. poverty so complete.
a destitution so absolute that the veriest dole
can bring reliei Is there not in our great. over
grown. purse proud metropolis another want
as bitter. as dreary. less apparent, and less
dramatic may be. but with as strong a claim
Is the penury that cannot beg. less CALLING than
the poverty whose over extended baud closes
30 naturally on tho aims OF copper coin or scrap
Of food Have we not among us those slaves oi
gentility. those Helots Of birth who buy the
letters which our society have made. and who
dare not-actually dare not-under penalty oil
dropping lower still In the scale. save them
selves from drowning by grasping ut tho sup
port afforded to others?
Poets have sung OF the rose -trellisc d cottage
tho arcadian meal OF golden butter and home
baked loaf. the print-clad maiden. leading
picturesque rural life in aura medioc'itdte, ha D.
pi"' 20. III" "'i ,","' 7"''"'"'''.' ''.a en'
would be In marble halls, and passing rich or
twontv Mounds 3, venr. but 10 the majority in
' 'o -. E.,,,aI 80, -, A.
Lonuon anu other large Ens''sn loWhs lieai
ocrity Is OF iron pitiless unredeemad. un
n;J.d rho ,an.Inm,n or at nnv rat, the odu
Gated mon who embrace tho Church or tho lay
as q profession. who become clerks engineers
and artists, have nearly all b,cn reared in pub
No schools. which means that for years the
have imbibcd with some learning habits O
s.,f-ip1ulronce anI Iuxury oniovo5 n nnrfsc
e'"-'"""'s'"e' ",,' '"H'. y 'n'''vu " ''i''s
immunity from NIL sordid material cares. an
been turned out into the world absolutely ig
-, =, ,, ,,,. ~, ,,h,, - 60. ,;,h :,
nor'tht OF us why's anu u'''p'' ~ cops WIN IL
dincut'es. They marry early rs II rule. per
bons in consnnucpc. of this same ir,bi,
e., WI, -, ,.,' r,. ,,on.n,,,on ro,rod ~
ity. iheir WIVES "fe seh'iewoh'eh. re"Feu III
comfortable home may be. but without mcan'