how. You'll find
him on a farm in the West, and I hope you'll come to see him soon and
stop with him when you go, and let every one of yous be somebody, and be
loved and respected. I thank yous, boys, for your patient attention. I
can't say more at present, I hope I haven't said too much.'"

THE BUILDING FUND.

An effort was made in the Legislature, a few years since, to obtain a
building-fund for the Newsboys' Lodging-house. This was granted from the
Excise Fund of the city for the legitimate reason, that those who do
most to form drunkards should be compelled to aid in the expense and
care of the children of drunkards. Thirty thousand dollars were
appropriated from these taxes, provided a similar amount was raised by
private subscription. This sum was obtained by the kindness and energy
of the friends of the enterprise, and the whole amount ($60,000) was
invested in good securities.

In 1872 it had accumulated to $80,000, and the purchase was made of the
"Shakespeare Hotel," on the corner of Duane and Chambers Streets, which
is now being fitted up and rebuilt as a permanent Lodging-house for
Homeless Boys. The building has streets on three sides, and, plenty of
air and light. Shops will be let underneath, so that the payments of the
boys and the rents received will nearly defray the annual expenses of
this charity, thus insuring its permanency.

CHAPTER X.

STREET GIRLS.

THEIR SUFFERINGS AND CRIMES.

A girl street-rover is to my mind the most painful figure in all the
unfortunate crowd of a large city. With a boy, "Arab of the streets,"
one always has the consolation that, despite his ragged clothes and bed
in a box or hay-barge, he often has a rather good time of it, and enjoys
many of the delicious pleasures of a child's roving life, and that a
fortunate turn of events may at any time make an honest, industrious
fellow of him. At heart we cannot say that he is much corrupted; his
sins belong to his ignorance and his condition, and are often easily
corrected by a radical change of circumstances. The oaths,
tobacco-spitting, and slang, and even the fighting and stealing of a
street-boy, are not so bad as they look. Refined influences, the checks
of religion, and a fairer chance for existence without incessant
struggle, will often utterly eradicate these evil habits, and the rough,
thieving New York v