in darkest england and the way out-第55章

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nmore　like　the　den　of　some　wild　animalalmost　the　only　furniture　of　which　was　a　filthy　iron　bedstead；　a　wooden　box　to　serve　for　table　and　chair；　while　an　old　tin　did　duty　as　a　dustbin。

The　inhabitant　of　this　wretched　den　was　a　poor　woman；　who　fled　into　the　darkest　corner　of　the　place　as　our　Officer　entered。　　This　poor　wretch　was　the　victim　of　a　brutal　man；　who　never　allowed　her　to　venture　outside　the　door；　keeping　her　alive　by　the　scantiest　allowance　of　food。　Her　only　clothing　consisted　of　a　sack　tied　round　her　body。　　Her　feet　were　bare；　her　hair　matted　and　foul；　presenting　on　the　whole　such　an　object　as　one　could　scarcely　imagine　living　in　a　civilised　country。

She　had　left　a　respectable　home；　forsaken　her　husband　and　family；　and　sunk　so　low　that　the　man　who　then　claimed　her　boasted　to　the　Officer　that　he　had　bettered　her　condition　by　taking　her　off　the　streets。

We　took　the　poor　creature　away；　washed　and　clothed　her；　and；　changed　in　heart　and　life；　she　is　one　more　added　to　the　number　of　those　who　rise　up　to　bless　the　Salvation　Army　workers。


SECTION　6。A　PREVENTIVE　HOME　FOR　UNFALLEN　GIRLS　WHEN　IN　DANGER。

There　is　a　story　told　likely　enough　to　be　true　about　a　young　girl　who　applied　one　evening　for　admission　to　some　home　established　for　the　purpose　of　rescuing　fallen　women。　　The　matron　naturally　inquired　whether　she　had　forfeited　her　virtue；　the　girl　replied　in　the　negative。　She　had　been　kept　from　that　infamy；　but　she　was　poor　and　friendless；　and　wanted　somewhere　to　lay　her　head　until　she　could　secure　work；　and　obtain　a　home。　　The　matron　must　have　pitied　her；　but　she　could　not　help　her　as　she　did　not　belong　to　the　class　for　whose　benefit　the　Institution　was　intended。　　The　girl　pleaded；　but　the　matron　could　not　alter　the　rule；　and　dare　not　break　it；　they　were　so　pressed　to　find　room　for　their　own　poor　unfortunates；　and　she　could　not　receive　her。　The　poor　girl　left　the　door　reluctantly　but　returned　in　a　very　short　time；　and　said；　〃I　am　fallen　now；　will　you　take　me　in？〃

I　am　somewhat　slow　to　credit　this　incident；　anyway　it　is　true　in　spirit；　and　illustrates　the　fact　that　while　there　are　homes　to　which　any　poor；　ruined；　degraded　harlot　can　run　for　shelter；　there　is　only　here　and　there　a　corner　to　which　a　poor　friendless；　moneyless；　homeless；　but　unfallen　girl　can　fly　for　shelter　from　the　storm　which　bids　fair　to　sweep　her　away　whether　she　will　or　no　into　the　deadly　vortex　of　ruin　which　gapes　beneath　her。

In　London　and　all　our　large　towns　there　must　be　a　considerable　number　of　poor　girls　who　from　various　causes　are　suddenly　plunged　into　this　forlorn　condition；　a　quarrel　with　the　mistress　and　sudden　discharge；　a　long　bout　of　disease　and　dismissal　penniless　from　the　hospital；　a　robbery　of　a　purse；　having　to　wait　for　a　situation　until　the　last　penny　is　spent；　and　many　other　causes　will　leave　a　girl　an　almost　hopeless　prey　to　the　linx…eyed　villains　who　are　ever　watching　to　take　advantage　of　innocence　when　in　danger。　　Then；　again；　what　a　number　there　must　be　in　a　great　city　like　London　who　are　ever　faced　with　the　alternative　of　being　turned　out　of　doors　if　they　refuse　to　submit　themselves　to　the　infamous　overtures　of　those　around　them。　I　understand　that　the　Society　for　the　Protection　of　Children　prosecuted　last　year　a　fabulous　number　of　fathers　for　unnatural　sins　with　their　children。　　If　so　many　were　brought　to　justice；　how　many　were　there　of　whom　the　world　never　heard　in　any　shape　or　form？　　We　have　only　to　imagine　how　many　a　poor　girl　is；　faced　with　the　terrible　alternative　of　being　driven　literally　into　the　streets　by　employers　or　relatives　or　others　in　whose　power　she　is　unfortunately　placed。

Now；　we　want　a　real　home　for　sucha　house　to　which　any　girl　can　fly　at　any　hour　of　the　day　or　night；　and　be　taken　in；　cared　for；　shielded　from　the　enemy；　and　helped　into　circumstances　of　safety。

The　Refuge　we　propose　will　be　very　much　on　the　same　principle　as　the　Homes　for　the　Destitute　already　described。　　We　should　accept　any　girls；　say　from　fourteen　years　of　age；　who　were　without　visible　means　of　support；　but　who　were　willing　to　work；　and　to　conform　to　discipline。　There　would　be　various　forms　of　labour　provided；　such　as　laundry　work；　sewing；　knitting　by　machines；　&c。　　Every　beneficial　influence　within　our　power　would　be　brought　to　bear　on　the　rectification　and　formation　of　character。　　Continued　efforts　would　be　made　to　secure　situations　according　to　the　adaptation　of　the　girls；　to　restore　wanderers　to　their　homes；　and　otherwise　provide　for　all。　　From　this；　as　with　the　other　Homes；　there　will　be　a　way　made　to　the　Farm　and　to　the　Colony　over　the　sea。　　The　institutions　would　be　multiplied　as　we　had　means　and　found　them　to　be　necessary；　and　made　self…supporting　as　far　as　possible。


SECTION　7。ENQUIRY　OFFICE　FOR　LOST　PEOPLE。

Perhaps　nothing　more　vividly　suggests　the　varied　forms　of　broken…hearted　misery　in　the　great　City　than　the　statement　that　18；000　people　are　lost　in　it　every　year；　of　whom　9；000　are　never　heard　of　any　more；　anyway　in　this　world。　　What　is　true　about　London　is；　we　suppose；　true　in　about　the　same　proportion　of　the　rest　of　the　country。　Husbands；　sons；　daughters；　and　mothers　are　continually　disappearing；　and　leaving　no　trace　behind。

In　such　cases；　where　the　relations　are　of　some　importance　in　the　world；　they　may　interest　the　police　authorities　sufficiently　to　make　some　enquiries　in　this　country；　which；　however；　are　not　often　successful；　or　where　they　can　afford　to　spend　large　sums　of　money；　they　can　fall　back　upon　the　private　detective；　who　will　continue　these　enquiries；　not　only　at　home　but　abroad。

But　where　the　relations　of　the　missing　individual　are　in　humble　circumstances；　they　are　absolutely　powerless；　in　nine　cases　out　of　ten；　to　effectually　prosecute　any　search　at　all　that　is　likely　to　be　successful。

Take；　for　instance；　a　cottager　in　a　village；　whose　daughter　leaves　for　service　in　a　big　town　or　city。　　Shortly　afterwards　a　letter　arrives　informing　her　parents　of　the　satisfactory　character　of　her　place。　The　mistress　is　kind；　the　work　easy；　and　she　likes　her　fellow　servants。　She　is　going　to　chapel　or　church；　and　the　family　are　pleased。　　Letters　continue　to　arrive　of　the　same　purport；　but；　at　length；　they　suddenly　cease。　　Full　of　concern；　the　mother　writes　to　know　the　reason；　but　no　answer　comes　back；　and　after　a　time　the　letters　are　returned　with　〃gone；　no　address；〃　written　on　the　envelope。　　The　mother　writes　to　the　mistress；　or　the　father　journeys　to　the　city；　but　no　further　information　can　be　obtained　beyond　the　fact　that　〃the　girl　has　conducted　herself　somewhat　mysteriously　of　late；　had　ceased　to　be　as　careful　at　her　work；　had　been　noticed　to　be　keeping　company　with　some　young　man；　had　given　notice　and　disappeared　altogether。〃

Now；　what　can　these　poor　people　do？　　They　apply　to　the　police；　but　they　can　do　nothing。　　Perhaps　they　ask　the　clergyman　of　the　parish；　who　is　equally　helpless；　and　there　is　nothing　for　them　but　for　the　father　to　hang　his　head　and　the　mother　to　cry　her　self　to　sleepto　long；　and　wait；　and　pray　for　information　that　perhaps　never　comes；　and　to　fear　the　worst。

Now；　our　Enquiry　Department　supplies　a　remedy　for　this　state　of　things。　In　such　a　case　application　would　simply　have　to　be　made　to　the　nearest　Salvation　Army　Officerprobably　in　her　own　village；　any　way；　in　the　nearest　townwho　would　instruct　the　parents　to　write　to　the　Chief　Office　in　London；　sending　portraits　and　all　particulars。　　Enquiries　would　at　once　be　set　on　foot；　which　would　very　possibly　end　in　the　restoration　of　the　girl。

The　achievements　of　this　Department；　which　has　only　been　in　operation　for　a　short　time；　and　that　on　a　limited　scale；　as　a　branch　of　Rescue　Work；　have　been　marvellous。　　No　more　romantic　stories　can　be　found　in　the　pages　of　our　most　imaginative　writers　than　those　it　records。　We　give　three　or　four　illustrative　cases　of　recent　date。

A　LOST　HUSBAND。

ENQUIRY。

Mrs。　S。；　of　New　Town；　Leeds；　wrote　to　say　that　ROBERT　R。　left　England　in　July　1889；　for　Canada　to　improve　his　position。　　He　left　a　wife　and　four　little　children　behind；　and　on　leaving　said　that　if　he　were　successful　out　there　he　should　send　for　them；　but　if　not　he　should　return。

As　he　was　unsuccessful；　he　left　Montreal　in　the　D