The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1885-07-20
passed I the time h playing snatches from


Joined her occasionally in singing. At
intervals conversation was INDUCED in on
the work ii hand and the particular pros.
poets of that evening. The entire pro-
ceedings were marked by the most per.
feet modesty. Nothing was said that
could make the presence OF gentlemen
embarrassing TO the ladies, or vice versa.
OF the poor wanderers sought TO be
gatL Lered In, all spoke In the most tenderly
compassionate tones-so different from
the common way ofIthis hard world. Like
old soldiers, these workers in the noblest
ofcatises talked offormer scenes and strug-
giles, "a meeting in Leicester Square was
spoken of. It was very large, the women
well dressed, but. unusually deprayed, as
might be eexpected in that neigh hborhood,
and asit occurred during the Jumbo and
Alice craze, nothing could be done,
for the girls monopolized the time
with the singing Of the popular re-
Trains OF that exciting period. Another
was held at the Grand Gale, just off Re.
gent street. The business OF the night
over, the Midnight Moyementpeople took
possession. and where for years before
only the clink OF glasses and the laugh Of
Swanton pleasure had been heard, the
voice Of sacred song was raised. The nov
ely Of the affair proved attractive. This
Locality Is frequented almost. exclusively
BIZ what are called the .'swellp women,
many Of whom live in elegant villas in the
neighborhood Of st, Johns Wood-usti.
ally the very hardest class 70 reach: But
they attended in large numbers, and, after
o few boisterous ones had been coaxed to
leave, an interesting service was held:
With "Reminiscences OF this kind, an hour
soon passed. Seven o'clock, and the
wanderers do not comein. Many tickets
were distributed the night before, and the
prospect to the inexperienced night well
look disconraging. But these goodly men
and women are not at all down.hearted,
and they intend keeping open house till
1lo'clock. The time, however, Is not to
be spent in idle waiting. The task oil the
previous night must be done, over again.
a few are be left In charge OF the room,
and the rest must form themselves into
scouting. parties.
STREET WORK.
Street work is the order now. The
ladies go in twos, and each couple is fol-
lowed by gentleman. The knowledge
that man is near gives the women coar|
age, and guards them against insult. They |
are seldom treated rudely by the poor
girls, for these are only too glad OF kind
word, but the brutes OF the male persuas-
ion, who fatten on their i'll gotten gains,
are sometimes very savage. Some OF these
have been known before now 70 break
into. the. meeting and try TO drag out their
companions by main force.
Later in the evening, as the result ot
this literal seeking OF the lost, the tables
in the mission room are well filed. No
speeches are made, but the poor heart |
broken creatures are talked to quietly by
the ladies, some speaking to several at a
time, others to one. The object Is to get
them TO reform, and those who express |
desire to do go are taken at once TO q place
he witnessed this scene, the writer felt
degree OF compassion such as he had not
known before, and for the noble band OF
workers the most unbounded admiration.
Some, OF the latter had had Q long and
experience. That ca faced, patient
looking lady Of about thirty.Qve Is fullill-I
ing "a charge laid upon her by q dying
mother, who, having engaged in such work
herself, could conceive OF no loitier occu-
patton for q Christian daughter. That
Venerable woman overyonder6rst beganto
rescue the fallen many years ago In. Cal
cutta, where, she tells me, sinful life Is
very common among the girls OF half
caste. But the majority OF them have
nunnish look, and belong to the Order Of
peeconesses Of the Church of England.
The eaarb Of these deyolt women would,
HI.should think, be IA help to them when
operating on the streets, as 1t would pro-
claim at once that their object was q re-
ligiops one. The interesting young lady
referred TO at the beginning, who conduct,
cd the musical exercises, and whose face
and manner bore such evident marks Of
purity and refinement; was, ] afterwards
learned, the daughter Of the Organising
Secretary, Mr.. John H. L. Christien.
To the work done by these women and
other laborers in the cause in London, the
revelations of the Pail Nal Gazette will
give new and inuch.needed impetus. It
is hsped, loo, that the agltatlan ot this
subject III American newspapers will en-
courage similar movements in the large
cities OF our own country. HIT.