Year: 1859

N.
The London Times makes an appeal for assistance
to the managers of the Refuge" an establishment
IN FleldLane intended for logding house for those
who have no homes. The Times says:


We have to point out the existence of class of
wretched creatures in this wealthy METROPOLIS of
the world so stepped to the lips of misery that they
escape general notice altogether. As far as they
are concerned, the civilization of the nineteenth
century is represented only by the policeman, who
drives them from the dry arch or doorway in which
they sought shelter from the wind. Their energies
are so prostrated by the long continuance of dull,
chronic suffering, that they have not the spirit left
to pick pocket and obtain refuge in comforta-
Dl,e Dle gaol. why do they not go to the workhouse
thousands OF paupers, who for our present purpose
may be said to have met with success in life, of
course, admitted to the Unions but MANY of our poor
clients are those who can't get in. We are bound
to add that many of the poor creatures of whom
are writing have not the faintest idea of their legal
rights. They don't know what a magistrate could
do for them, or how many charitable persons would
instantly come to their relief if their
made known to the public by the press. The only
idea of law is'to dodge out of polceman's way and
as for addressing themselves to a magistrate, an
'aristocrat in the French Revolutionary davs
would as soon have thought of seeking an inter
view with FourquieF Tinville


Cannot additional means be found to assist the
benevolent managers of the "Refuge?" They would
gladly provide further accommodation SO that they
might take IN for the night those whom they
now compelled to leave before their doors without
shelter and without food. Observe we are not ask
ing for very much Shelter for the night and
hafpound loafof dry bread are not such mighty in
duee%ents that any person who could do better
would be likely to abuse the boon. This, as far
the men and boys are concerned-half of the f'Ref-
uge" is occupied by chdren,-would seem literally
to be the case. What they get is but clean board
on which to spread their ragged clothes and
rug to put over them. They are supplied besides,
with eight ounces of bread at night, and as much
more in the morning when they go out. But then
there Is shelter and there is fire for the common
n thn b,IaiY
to be that only 800 dodgers can be accommodated.
When the tale is CONF lte the managers are COM
PEELED to close their doors, and the poor creatures
outside are left to the winters sharp pinch and to
the gnawlng pains of hunger. Tall spectres are
there with the hacking cough of consumption well
developed Children, hoarse with Inflammation of
the lungs, or barking with whoopingcough, sit
about exchanging whispers on the sloppy ground.
The "Refuge" is as Dives's Palace, but each one
here is Lazarus indeed. This place is in Field
lane.


Individual instances always seem to make the
way TO human sympathies more readily than gem
eral descriptions. We would ask then for particu-
lar attention to few of the cases recorded in the
account OF ''Our homeless Poor" Four little fel-
lows, all under IA years of age friendIess homeless
orphans, covered with dirt and sores-one of them
suffering severely from inflammation of the chest
set out to Hornsey and Epping Forest to gather
molly to sell at Christmas. They have among them
one penny, with which they buy while on their
journey, little bread, which they share equally.





no holly" and obliged to tramp back to
London again, sick and hungry, sleeping under
hedges when their strength is spent To the
"Reuge" they come as their last resource.
There is another little feow--a dull boy stunted
and stupid with misery; he gained his living while
be could by sweeping crossings, carrying parcels
&C. His mother died while he was an infant; his
father ga respectable tradesman,' it is said, fol-


lowed her when the child was ten years old; his
brother was drowned at sea. In the summer time
he could earn I'd. day by mnding the children of
the hop-pickers; but then summer has fed, and he
must live through the winter till the rood time
comes again. He has even been driven from his
favorlte bedroom-an archway behind the Surrey
Theatre. His earnings have fallen off and he too,
has come to the "Refuge." Then there is a hand
| some boy, also a crossing g-sweeper. He has come
| from Bristol, and he has cancer forming in his
foot When he went to the Hospital they told him
to rest his foot, keepit warm, and poulce it every
night" Why did they not tell him that break
fast cup full of turtle soup and halfaglass of old
Iokay every three hours would be benefit to his
constitution? Poutice his foot every night
! why, II you gave him poultice the child would
eat 1t! He too, has come to the Refuge last
resource. One more instance and we have DONE
one OF the boys is member of family which
consists OF father, mother, and II children. His
| two eldest brothers are almost ALWAYS in prison
| ''for doing handkerchiefs." His eldest sister is
| now fifteen years of age, and in a Reformatory
| She was thief in her infancy and at eleven wears
| of age prostitute. This family, collectively ap-
| pears in the long nights to have entered upon
very peculiar class of business. At 2 A. NJ. thev
would issue out from the cellar in which they lived
and work away till daylight at pulling down the
| posters and bills from the walls The whole family
IN this way, by strenuous exertion, might succeed
in tearing down half hundred weight of paper
for which they could get I'D One member Of
this firm has now come to the Refuge. 1t is use
less however, to multiply instances. There is a
| "Re!uge" for females well as one for boys close
at hand, and he must be more or less than man
who can read without emotion the story of its in
mates.