The Gutter-Snipe's Christmas Day.

Evening Post, Volume LXVI, Issue 152, 24 December 1903, Page 15

The Gutter-Snipe's Christmas Day.

As mutters aro arranged just now in the general schumo of thing.'*, thi-re uro probably not many units in tho great army of London gutter-snipes and raga mulliiiM wlio do not come in for sumo «ort of Christmas treat. Wo ourselves— we say it with a Alight feeling of edf-satis-fantion—aio among thoso who year after your dip into tho depths where it is difficult to distiuguiih the thin lino dividing the outer end of civilised life from that othor lifo which, without boing entirely savage, is yet not civilised, und pick out e>uch rugs and tatters an would otherwise probably not partake of any crumbs from Dives' table in tho shape of tea-tights and other luxuries. Supplied with Uio einexvs for this sort of war, wo give treat after treat, North, South, East, and West, and thus we aro. qqito au fait with the subject af tho gutter-snipes' Christmas treat. But so aro our loaders, to whom, therefore, it would bo no news to hear how the said snipo gobbles and revels in "cyke" and "brea-m-butter" and "savage rolls" and other dainties. Henco, we do not propose to touch that Jispect of Christmas, as seen from the gutter -snipe's point of view. Th<k "treat" in his public appearance; the celebration of tho actual Christmas Day is a private affair, and as such it is interesting. There is probably not a section of the entire community which begins its Christmas Day with a merrier heart, a more hopeful anticipation of good things to como, limn that poor human atom to whom we have applied — rather in admiring j-'ympathy than in scorn— the title of gutter-snipe. Ho starts with an advantage in the enjoymont of the great day. Ho has nothing to lose, because home ho luts none, or next to none, and liis earthly pasaesions he carries about with him in tho shape of a few rags, which extreme courtesy only could describe aa a suit of clothes. But ho has his wits about him, uncl his wits are his fortune. It qrpuld be ill-luck indeed if More the end of the day ho ljad not closed (jimnecossarily hue successfully) a sufficient number of cob doors, or curried enough "gouts' handbags," or mado himself otherweise indispensable in a small way. to unable him to cat A Christmas dinner which, for substantiality at all events, leaves" notliing to be desired. The gutter-snipe, liko his prototype among the London birds, the sparrow , is early upon tho scene. Indeed, if the night between 24th und 25th De-comber is not too .wet or cold, he may be said to be on view nil through it. W© *courcd the buck lnm-s of a South London district during one Christmas not long ago, on tho truck of tho homelcM. Again and again we came upon clusters of boys, pitting on public seats, wrapped in man tU\s of brown paper or news sheets, nhivwing a bit, it is true, but cheerily .nw.ijtjwtf "iJ)t> happy mom," which, w this case at all eveuta, brought them v free breakfast of coffee and good things to vat, in a warm, bright loom. From a lane of particularly grim aspect we hoard shrill, chirpy voices, and, following tho wound, wo found a snmll party oi boys leaning against v hiah brick Mall, stumping their foot and Keening up an c«»y ilow of conversation, 'iho wall, it appeared presently, belonged to a bakehouse; the bricks wero warm, and tho children woro loud in prube of their delighted quarter*. "But how is it you urc all wide awake at this time of night?" wo asked them. It wits 2 a.m. "We're a-jjeein' of tho Chris'mas in," was the qujck reply. A Chri&tuuis breakfast, unices it come* unawurcs, aa it did to tho luds against the bakehouse wall on thu't particular morning, does not <ih a rule tonio in the programme of the duy. But the first copper C4irnod is carried proudly to tho near est coffee-stall or paluct 1 , and there, over a mug of hot tea or cocoa, and a thick "slice, ' the gtttter-t>nipc> grows bcoiriing1& eloquent, and there ia inoro spirit and goodwill in his "Merry Christmas" than m that of mo&t of us. Aa he goes forth again, our guttcr-snipo adorns himself with a twig of mistletoe- or holly. It \h church-time, and he sees his '"better*." in merry family parties troop to Christina* service. Tho guttor-snipo may hang round tha gate for a. moment— perchance he, is the crossing-sweeper of the district — but ho does not venture inside, whew the white flowers bloom und the organ penis. His "got-up" makes him i,hy 'if

.nteiiug, and it- must lie confessed he does not feel greatly in want of a church mjrvioe. Aa the morning and tlw iifU'rnooii wear on you «c«» him Hitting hither md thither. Hound railway stations ulul Jiutul dooru ho hungs. keenly expectuut, but fchunning nil conviviality withcqualo, .■jince hunting in coitpk-s would mean division of the .spoil. And that w not at all to thtt mind of tile gulUu'-fcuipc. When he ha» gathered enough eoppeis, lio uiukea straight for tho eutuig'tihup he knows to be open, aticl there, with lordly air, he hikes Ilia place in v. cubiclo and frills upon a ntickv, greyish tit tide which in<uMiiu.'radt.H aa ClniMinits pudding. If funil.s permit ho inuy indulge in the udditinnul luxury of a " 'am sangwich," or evon tho crowning glory of a "'clpin' o* buof," and let nobody way the guttersnipe has not dined wisely and well, ainco his aiy the appetite of a xvolf and tho digestion of an ostrich. Tho evening of Christmas Day is not in itself an exhilarating period in tho world's history, from tho gutter-snipes point of view. He njusea the rattle und glare of everyday life in the deserted Btreete. But us ho goes whistling back to tha dark places where he «pendß hia nights, viajojuj of the pleasures to come float before his jnward eye. Why, tomorrow ie Boxing Pay, and, bless yer cart, he'll have v scut in the gallery when that there pantomime i» played first time. And won't it be just lino to sit thero and roar at tho clowns, in chorus, and be warmly packed among kindred spirits, and chew a>vay at a piece of stickjaw, nnd feel tliat you are a niau about town, patronising the drama ! Therefore, three cheers for Christmas Day, says tho gutter-snipe, and disappears in tho darkness. — Westminster Budget.