The record-union., 1891-12-19


ments, was acting the part of bulwark
against the surgings of the crowd. We
passed into the masters room, and were
IN few moments joined by Chaplain
Gaussen, Captain Stubbs and myself paid
out the money and checked against each
payment. The old Inspector kept the
children and their mothers in line, and
got their school certificates ready. Then
as each one came in the Chaplain re-ex-
amined the certificates, and a running
fire of comment resulted, showing that
the exact status of each child, the condi-
ton of its health, the occupation of its
mother and the general welfare of the en-
tire family, were matters of actual per-
sonal knowledge on the part of these Off
cials.
"Ah, Robert, glad to see you. Folks
well?" ''Thankee, sir; yes, sir" "Good.
Tell mother to come next Monday for the
clothes and boots. Next" Mrs. Toll
mle?" '"Thankee, sir; yes, SIR" with a
duck and salaam. "William ill?'' ''Yes,
yes, sir, thankee sir" "All right, Will
Jams good boy: Take care Of him,
Mrs. Tolmie." ''Bless God, so he is:
thankee, sirn bella Bathgate. And
you, too, Mrs. Bathgate? Yes, the child
is an honor to you in that suit. How'd
you get time to do it? Next" ''And
here's here's Sarah Betty, Well Sarah, all
Mother'sa job o. scrubbin' m couldn't
come. "All right, my little girl. Hold
the money tight for mother" Richard
Rowlands-Richard, little better work
at school or We'll have to cut you off,
Richard ''Thankee, sir.'' "Helloa,
Tommy Raff1es. Growing to be man,
aren't you? Only three months more on
Oracle in the orphanage in few weeks"
"Thankee, sir; got place, sir" Good
boy, Tommy. Next" And so it goes
from one to three hours. But the strug-
giles; the battles for existence: the blessed
help this little help is to them all; the
eyes suffused with tears; the choked
words of gratitude; the pinched and pitt
full efforts to come there clean, patched
up and deserving; the dolorous, dreadful
hours in these fatherless homes behind all
this woeful procession to the almsgiv-
ing, are enough to sicken and sadden
strongest hearts.
l have never in any country visited a
charitable institution so we'll adapted to
it's uses, and where there was such splen-
did and universal evidence of one having
entered the atmosphere of a Christian
home. The first orphanage was an old
structure in Duke street. The present one
was completed and opened in 1874. 1t is
situated on uninclosed ground, granted
by the corporation of Liverpool, sur
rounded by the sylvan groves, lmpid
streams, mimic lakes and velN ETY. lawns
of beautiful Newsham Park. The build
ings comprise the orphanage itself, a
flve-story edifice Of gray brick with stone
trl INNINGS, as sweet as a new-laid egg
from cellar to garret, one of the handsom-
est chapels in England, q commodious
and beautiful sanitarium, and an ivy and
rose-covered parsonage.
The discipline and regime are faultless.
Thav pOmnriSa rnpnlqr family xEOrSbi n
and religious instruction; safe association
Of the sexes, who take their meals and at
tend chapel in company; thorough sec
ular and commercial education, and reg
ular and substantial diet, including three
ample meals each day. Health, comfort,
happiness and cleanliness are absolutely
secured. The dormitories are capacious
and even beautiful. THERE'S basket for
clothing under each bed, and each child
is allowed a private box with lock and
key, where brush and comb, letters, home
treasures and all keepsakes are kept.
There are teachers sitting-room and a
bedroom off each dormitory ensuring
perfect order, and the bathrooms and
dresSing-roomS are perfect and complete.
Extraordinary provisions have been
made in this institution for recreation and
amusement. The park is the great open
air play ground for them all. For un-
pleasant weather there are spacious in
door rooms and gymnasiums for both
boys and girls, and great arched porch
extends along the rear Of the orphan
age to an immense paved court, very
similar to the covered promenade you
will find at the entrance to the quadrangle
of Eaton College, and much on the same
plan as that of the ancient English mon
astic cloisters, which always opened into
a beautiful court or garth. Here, also,
perhaps, to greater degree than in any
nt Gil hn HI ,nI
elements of drill and music have been
utilized. The bearing of these children
is exquiSitely manful and womanly. The
theory and practice are that children can
be interested in maneuvers and drills,
and all manner of dispositions rendered
facile and quiescent under the influence
of music. So there is an almost ceaseless
series of musical accomplishments-m
sic on rising, music at entering and leav-
ing classes, music at going to and coming
from meals, lnnumerable musical enter
tainments and soirees-even music on go
ing to bed. l have never known of such
a marked and luminous proof OF the hui
| manizing, and even christianizing influ-
ence of music, and the singing of these
800 or 400 children is alone, almost, worth
coming across the sea to hear.
| There are two public services held each
| Sunday. The afternoon service perhaps
| attracts the greatest number of visitors.
During the voluntary is heard the sound
of approaching hundreds OF feet, as if the
| footsteps were blended into the echo OF
one tread. Tramp, tramp, tramp, on
| they come, with heads erect, turning
their eyes neither to the right nor the left,
with hands crossed behind them, and
with the cleanest, brightest faces you
ever anywhere looked upon. The boys
enter first and occupy the pews of the
south transept. The girls follow them,
and pass into the north transept aisles.
The Chaplain, robed in plain surplice,
enters last. The discipline, order and
decorum are marvellous. After a short
pause, all standing, the children sing with
taste and expression the well-known an
them, Il will arise and GO to my Father
These who sing have no living fathers this
side of the grave, The ordinary short
ened service of evening prayer is then
proceeded with, and in the responses,
reading the Psalms and chanting the
| Mdgnlfcdt and Nltpc dinlittiS, the children
display intelligence and feeling. But
most pathetic of all things here is the
plaintive Litany sung Immediately after
the PRAYER for those at sea. Your ewes
cannot but mist as you look and listen,
and you can never cross the ocean again
without knowing the real and blessed
significance of shipboard Entertainment
| Night" EDGAR l.. WAKEMAN.
THE OLD STAGE COACH.
Meath the shed OF a wayside inn it
x~f =.