THE LITTLE SISTERS OF THE POOR.

Thames Advertiser, Volume VII, Issue 1889, 7 November 1874, Page 3

THE LITTLE SISTERS OF THE POOR.

The Mowing letter, written by Blanckr* Jerrold, son of the celebrated Douglas Jerrold,' a Protestant gentleman, and editor of Lloyd's Newspaper, bears testimony to the marvellous labours of those ministering angels, the Little bisters of the Poor. The house established in London is an offshoot of the parent house in Paris, which has won general commendation:-"®) the Editor of the Morning Post. —Sir,—Will you grant your sometime ' London Poor' and' Poor of Paris' Commissioner a little space in your journal to plead the cause of the intrepid Little Sisters of the Poor, whose lives are spent in daily heroisms ? It was in your columns that I was privileged to describe the house in which these sisters are perpetually nursing and feeding some 200 old men and women, depending for food and clothing on the restes which they are able to collect from house to house. Many of your readers must have noticed two sisters hastening through London streets in a covered cart. These are the messengers from St Joseph's House, Portobello-road Bayswater, who collect the broken victuals and bear them home to feed the old men and women whom they have taken under their care. Be it known that the Little Sisters of the Poor eat only after their wrinkled proteges have feasted. Not the crumbs from the rich man's table are theirs, but the odd crusts and bones which remain after Lazarus, stretching his legs, has said,' Enough.' I remember it was with eyes brimming over with tears that I looked upon the Little Sisters' refectory. I'itchers of pure water, mounds of unsightly morsels of bread, scraps of cheese, these furnished forth the banquet of the Christian heroines for whom i ask' you space to plead again to-day. They are in debt for their house. A. heavy mortgage is rotting the holy roof-tree they have raised over a crowd of grey heads, that but for them would not have even Chatterton'ii shelter, a slate between them and the thunder-cloud. Patient comforters in the vestibule of death to successive hundrods of forgotten and destitute old men and women - comforters, whose aingel hand smooth alike the pillow of Jew and Christian-they have turned to me, because it was my privilege to help them through you years ago; and they have begged me to interpret the prayer they address to the many tender-hearted people whose eyes fall upon your columns. jSot for themselves, who eat from the outcasts' plates, but for age and helplessness sheltered in their holy arms, they plead; and to none who will.take the trouble of visiting St Joseph's House will they, I am quite certain, plead in vain, if a few ladies would undertake a bazsar, or would collect among their friends, the Little Sisters of the Poor would soon have a house free from debt.—l have the honour to remain, Sir, your faithful servant, Blanchabd JebboliD. iieform, Club, June 26."