Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1893-07-08

dIction TO the curse of drink, existed a.
are true In the worst sections of Cheap
side, Shoreditch, Whitechspel and the Nj
nories. Attempts at decoration and clean
illness, where In exceptional cases cheap
prints adorned the walls and the tiny Hv-
Ing rooms were fairly habitable from even
occasional application Of soap and water,
though tine meanest necessities of life were
wanting, were rare; because frouued
down by the vicious majority, who seem
merely TO live to drink and drink TO live
We found one place that had been com
pletely wrecked because the offending fam
fly had dared put q bit of cheap muslin
over the window. This q setiin' theer-
sells hup DER their neighbors 'ad to be
made hexsmple oni.' The daily tragedies
by want 10 this ipoonceivAbly deadsning
and hopeless association, was q thousand
times revealed 10 me this day.
In one abode where we called for rent,
four naked children lay huddled In q cor
ner of the bare room under q handful of
rags, because the last clothing from their
bodies had been pswned for drink. The
father came home often enough and re-
matned long enough to beat the mother
and snatoh some utensil, scrap of clothing
or bit of furniture and run away with It
for drink. Watts body to do with such
houtlawsr groaned the collector. This
place 'asn't paid the mlssuses a penny
'oIth's rent in q twelvemonthi" AT rag
fair near got for lees than q shilling gar
ments enough to cover their nskedness:
for another shilling left them more food
than they had devoured in q fortnight; and
on lines OF friendship compelled Mr. Evans
then and there, while denominating me
various species of 'fhssses," to receipt q
month's advance rent for the filthy coop,
against that much chance for q fAmily's
life in the worlds metropolis. AS the
mother come running home from cleaning
foul cast off boots in a near mOuldy booth
ehe shrieE-d over her good fortune as
though the Golfers of the Bank of England
had been polred in her lap; and the neigh
borhood wss set awhiTl by the mite of
charity g. though fire or murder Was in
progress.
A few gipsy families were encountered.
Every Gre paid promptly. Groups Of cos
tiers, huddled in genial communistIc fash
ion, invariably bsigsrsd Mr.. Evans with
promises Of Jolly beatings, but hnslly
paid, leaving MIN for the time scsihless
and whole. At various places the bRdi-
mage was fearful; and at no place did we
fail to receive sarcastic inquiries as TO
whether we were "hoxdashus" enough 10
regard them as docks" "lud mayors"
and the like, coupled with still wittier
requests for the loan of anything from q
''thrip'enny bit" to q "bOb" or "Quld-
In one house We encountered q child sc-
tuslly dying in it's bed from coEsump-
tlon. Its mother, who sold vegetables,
had placed an untitled prescription from
the parish doctor In its listless hand as
excuse against the collsotor's call left
something else there, but the child wRs
too far gone 10 even smile its thanks.
Aud 50, on and on through . dSy's, to
me years, indescEibAble scenes of life,
hOpeiss sness and despair, until the very
last place Oh the collectors days let was
reached.
"No trouble 'erel" said Mr. Evans Raily,
ss q skinny hand reached through the
broken pane of q basement window with
the amount dus and was withdrawn the
instant the receipt was plEosd within IL.
thought differently: descended the siairs
and pushei into the fonl basement room.
Don't, don't, siTl" q voice pitifully
pleaded. They're not always that way,
sirl"
The whole story, such q one as the
master, Dickene, was wont TO 90 thrill
ingly tell, was instantly revealed There
on the dank concrete floor lay two hide.
ous objscts, father aud mother, swollen
almost purple, and insensible, from drink.
The speaker was s dwsrf girl with humI
back and huge head; skinny. white, hOr
ribls. She kept this homeless home togeth
| er by working day and night at chop
| ping mp old barrels and boxes for kin
| dlers;" getting beAtings instead of food
| even keeping the beasts of parents IL
| drink; and with such bravery, sacrifice
| patience and terror, as we of better for
! tune can nevsr know. living the hsn-lif
| dsuntless and true. Bruises and lAshing
showed on her head, neck and arms =
| she looked up scared and pleading
| was two half crowns worss, or better, OF
| for this pitifal sight. She clutched then
| tigerishly in her hEnds; then cuddled then
| against her breast IS q mother might
| new-found child tina: had been lost; theT
| she fell upon her hRtehet end kiBdlsrs IL
strange looking heap; ard, as i re
Joined Hr. Eyans-who wss still varying
his species of ohjargat'onAl ''hAsses," in
view of my ''soft" condlct-snd We
turned towards ;he awsk. ming city lighte
l heard this brave little dwarf setting
forth upon q, to her, before unknown
| Journey within the human region uf CRATE
| ful sobs R1d tssrs.
EDGAR L WAKEMAS.