The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1901-10-03
new DICKENS WANTED.

A novel. and. In some respects. pa
thetic sidelight ON city life Is furnished
every weekday morning within the
Church of All Holows, London Wall
II is such sight as would have touched
the heart of CHARLES Dickens and may
hap have inspired something immortal
from his pen
Within the tiny church. which is FIVE
centuries old, there assemblies at 500
a. m. a congregation consisting OF work
girls and a sprinkling of young men.Ths
congregation Is attracted by the following
advertisement issued by the rector, tho
Rev. Montague Fowler, NJ. A.:
All Hallows church Is open avery
morning from $50 a. m. TO a. m. to
allow the workairls and factory girls
who come 10 town by the early work.
mems trains to find rest and shelter un-
I'll their houses of employment are open.
An organ recital is given every morning
from 10 $50 and a short service Is held
daily at 7;is a. m"
The girls and young men arrive at Liv-
erpool street station from various sub
urban districts, availing themselves Of ths
cheap workmens tickets. They cannot
afford to travel by the ordinary trains.
and AS the railway companies will not
issue workmens tickets after a certain
to loiter about until their places OF bust
ness opened. Now they can rest In the
church.
Down the, aisle stand couple of tables
laden with about 200 brightly bound story
books. issued by two religious societies.
Each person on arrival spends a few,
minutes in devotion. then proceeds 10 ono
OF the tables. selects book and reads
Tor time. The books steer clear OF con-
troYersial subjects and are not neccessar-
lily OF the stereotyped religious order.
Those who use the church are not al
lowed TO bring their own reading mat
ter. The literature supplied Is considered
ample TO meet all tastes. Many OF the
girls. and one or two Of the few elderly
women who attend this novel kind OF
waiting room. however. do not read at
all They bring their sewing or darning
and employ themselves I'm this way.
Hymns are sung. and N is remarkable
with what tunefulness and zest the girls
sing. A short address is delivered by the
rector or some OF the neighboring
clergymen All this time new arrivals
have been entering and others departing,
and IL II remarked that no one goes with
out spending a few moments in self-com-
munion.
The social position of the girls differ.
The dress OF some proclaims a respecta-
bic poverty-they are warehouse en-
ployes; others are more smartly gowned
tanning sandwiches or music cases hold
ing a more substantial lunch. These are
women clerks.
The young men who look in from tims
10 time are mostly clerks or salesmen
Possibly they would come I'm greater
numbers 10 the church II the restriction
against newspapers did not exist. Many
men and lads still have TO lounge about
the streets until they so To work.
Book and needle are put away when
the officiating clergyman leaves the altar
for the vestry.
They all love the service. They remern-
her the time when they spent those weary
hourz- before commencing work In tramp
ing the streets in rain. snow or blazing
sunshine. They were weary before the
DAYS work opened and hailed with
thankfulness the experiment. OF All Hal
lows which gave them a resting placa
when they needed II most.-London Daily
Mall.