give us bread-away with your preaching!" "Why don't you work?" One profligate replies, "My eyes are dim." Another, "Me work! if I could do it, who would trust me with it?" "I will, if you will come to me at the room in the corner of CStreet to-morrow morning." The new idea had entered the man's mind, and his almost electric energy was instantly applied. His room was opened, and the necessary preparations made. A few poor, shaken, miserable women dropt in; and poor work they made of it, yet the effort was wholesome. After the day advanced a little, their employer said, "Now, I will pay you for what you have done, that you may go and buy your breakfasts; and if you return and work again, you shall have what will procure your dinners." This went on, and presently little children hung about the door, peeping in at their mothers, and morsels of the purchased meal were shared with them. Immediately the mercurial mind seized another new idea. "Little ones, if you will wash your faces and hands, and smooth your hair, and be as neat as you can, you may come to me to-morrow, and we will begin Infant School," and thus shot forth a new branch from the prolific stem.

By and by some of the sempstresses fell into their old snare of inebriety, and when searched for by their faithful friend, whose hope seemed imperishable, they told him, if he would lodge and take care of them, they would be kept, but they could not

escape if they returned at night to their old neighbours. Here sprung forth another branch. With such friends as he could raise, the philanthropist has added room to room, till in the spring of 1851 he had three houses, with communications enabling him and his wife to pass through them all, and locks preventing the passage and too free communication of the inmates.

At his Sabbath-school many parents and other grown people are auditors. He pointed out several who were seated before us, and mentioned to what condition of wretchedness and misery they had sunk. All the cases were very interesting. One we select as an example :-A still strong and rather fair man, whose hair began to exhibit a streak of silver, and whose face, recently weather-beaten, was now placid and pleasant, and who had the air of a decayed gentleman, was seated near a class, listening eagerly to the instructions of its teacher. He had come to Mr Pease at night, and begged to be admitted to the Inebriate's Retreat. He was requested to return in the morning, as a test of his being desirous of anything more than a night's shelter. He did return, one sleeve wanting from his coat, shoes that would not stay on his feet, no stockings or neckcloth, and a miserable glazed cap on his head. Yet withal, somewhat of an air and address about the man shewed he had lived in other society, and seen calmer days. "Where have you been?" "I don't know." "Where do you come from?”

"No

66

'Why, where is your home?" "Where do you sleep?"

"I have

Anywhere."

Tut, man! where did you sleep last night?" "On the steps of the City Hall." "And where the night before?" "On a bench in the Park." "What is it you wish?"

He

"To be taken in here and reformed —I have nothing else between me and death—a miserable, a drunkard's death." He was taken in, bathed, purified, medicated, and, after a few days of repose, he was asked what he could do to maintain himself. He had been once a respectable bookseller in England. His last employment in New York had been the sale of stationery from door to door. was trusted with a dollar, laid it out in stationery, and returned at night, gladly to deposit his earnings with Mr Pease. When I saw him he continued still in the protection of that retreat-had paid for all his clothing, and now paid his weekly board regularly, and laid up something with which to begin the world, as soon as he could trust himself out of doors. Clothed and in his right mind, taking an intelligent interest in all the exercises of the school, he was a pleasant sight to see.

At the risk of being thought prosy, I venture to relate the history of another inmate of this Noah's Ark, at the Five Points. A stout, burly, redhaired man sat in that schoolroom with a child on his knee. He had presented himself at the Retreat, desolate and wretched, some months before, had gone through the cleansing and cooling process,

hired himself out to labour, and brought home his

earnings to pay his board. After some time, a woman came in search of him. He had been lost, and she, laden with a babe, and a very heavy heart, had sought northward in Boston, and southward in Philadelphia, but in vain. At last she traced him, and told her story to Mr Pease. He sent for the man, and conversed with him apart. "Are you married?" "Yes."

"Where is your wife?" "I don't know." "That is strange-why did you part from her?" "I forsook her when I forsook myself." "And are you content that it should be so?" "Content! No." Mr Pease went out and brought in the child, who trotted across the floor. The man gazed-the little thing could walk—he was uncertain—at last nature's instinct guided him to the truth. "That is my

child!" he cried, and snatched him to his bosom. The reconciliation was not difficult to be brought about, and now he supports his family under the wing of Mr Pease. It was pleasant to see the big man nurse the little one so tenderly, till at last it fell asleep, and he, resting the head against his broad breast, arose gently and carried it out of the schoolroom.

In the upper story of that strange wild extempore retreat, I found a Bible-class of women-nearly thirty, two of them from poor old Scotland, all on their knees around a dear Christian lady who regularly passed her Sabbath afternoons amongst them. I also found both the junior and senior Sabbathschools well filled.

It strikes one used to the close teaching of the Holy Scriptures and Shorter Catechism, that there was rather too little Scripture and too much hymnsinging; and also, that there is a danger of treating abstinence from drunkenness as if it were the very rock of salvation. However, no stranger, even after a third visit, can judge of the position and capabilities and necessities of the people—and, taken as a whole, the resolute principle which has assembled upwards of seventy persons, young and old, providing safe lodging for some, work for others, and instruction for a large band of otherwise neglected and forsaken children, is much to be honoured, and ought to be sustained, lest the good man faint by the way. On looking back to those dreary and disgusting haunts, the three houses at the corner seem like the leaven hid in the three measures of meal. Would that they might abide there till the whole is leavened!

A young friend went to ascertain the exact position of the school, before he conducted me there. He inquired of a policeman which was the house, and was advised to address some young women standing in the street, who would shew it him round the corner. The prudent inquirer hesitated about speaking to women in such a locality, when the policeman said, "A year since I would not have advised you, but you need not fear to speak to them now," a pleasant testimony to the correcting influence already emanating from this Christian establishment!