rk among women may
bring in God's own good time a fulfillment of things hoped for. Again, I
recall a scene I witnessed in 1881. We were inmates of Mr. Burr's hotel,
as he termed it. Among his guests were people of some distinction. Mrs.
Mary Livermore, of Massachusetts, was in this category. She had been
sent over by her state or the city of Boston, to investigate the "Coffee
Houses" of London, and Mr. Burr was known as a philanthropist in that
city. Preparations were made to see London by gas light, and I was among
the few invited to go with Mrs. Livermore. Two carriages were provided
for the party, and each held besides four occupants, a seat either for
Mr. Burr or his son, with the respective coachmen. We drove to the
station and then took the steam cars to "Wandsworth," a short distance
from London. On disembarking we walked to one of the public resorts
known as a "Coffee House," where light refreshments, with tea, coffee
and chocolate are offered at a trifling price; also a bottled drink
labelled Ozone, which had no intoxicating influence. These institutions
were for the congregating of the laboring classes, where they might
spend an hour or so in discussing the news of the day, or in social
intercourse, where no intoxicating beverages could be obtained, and
which served to entertain and keep them off the streets or from dens of
infamy. Here husband and wife, with clean hands and faces, and perhaps
sweethearts for aught we knew, were apparently happy in this hour of
recreation. Mrs. Livermore was asked to speak to that body of people,
and her satellites drew close around her, not knowing how she would be
received. Suffice to say that motherly face drew the attention of all,
and the appeals she made to men and women present drew many a tear from
the female portion, and to suppress an emotion, an apologetic cough
issued from rough exteriors. We retraced our steps to London and there
our carriages awaited us. We were driven to the "Seven Dials," and worse
places, if possible, where we were subjected to jeers and penetrating
glances into our carriage by the passers-by. Across these streets were
hung clothes lines and under the glare of electric or gas lights could
be inspected the second-handed garments that were hung thereon.
Markets, whose stale and unhealthy condition revealed itself to our
sensitive nostrils, and we were glad to turn away from this unkempt
crowd to a theatre in close proximity, whose doors were throw