p. 67 | The Poor Children

Pacific Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Oakland, California · Feb 27, 1879

The Poor Children.

SOME accounts of the sufferings of poor little children are heart rending. The Christian Herald says:—

“The value of Dr. Barnardo's Homes in London is shown in the instance of an orphan. His father, a sailor, was drowned at sea about nine years ago, and his mother, a charwoman, died of consumption nearly six years ago. At this time he was about ten years old, and was left in the charge of an aunt. This woman treated the poor lad so heartlessly as to drive him out upon the streets, much to the indignation of the neighbors. For some years he led a miserable life, picking up a few halfpence for running errands, carrying parcels, washing pewter-pots for a publican, etc. At night he slept out as a rule, but sometimes in a lodging-house. He applied to get into a Boys' Home, but was refused admission, as he had no relative or friend to vouch for his story, or any subscriber's letter to recommend his case. At length he got to London on board a schooner, but seems to have fared very poorly for a year. He earned a very scanty livelihood by pushing costermongers' barrows, and carrying boxes of fish at Billingsgate Market, sometimes sleeping out, or walking about the streets all night, for three or four nights consecutively. At last he was accidentally directed to Dr. Barnardo's Homes where, after battling with so many hardships, he will be safely sheltered, till he is better fitted to launch out into the ocean of life.”