The Little Gleaner Part 56

The third visit I made her, she lamented her former state of ignorance and sin, and expressed great fears lest her sins should be too enormous to be forgiven.

The poor woman continued in this state about six weeks, soliciting the company of all Christian friends to converse and pray with her.

The last visit I made to her produced a very affecting scene, both to her and me. I talked to her as one actually dying, and prayed for her as one who must soon appear before the Judge of all the earth. While I was engaged in prayer, she repeated the words after me in the most affecting manner, and after I had finished supplicating the Father of mercies, she added, "Oh, Lord, hear! Oh, Lord, forgive such a wretch as I am!" A few hours after this, she breathed her last, without either sigh or groan.

THE GREAT EXHIBITION OF 1851.

Of late years we have had in Britain almost a surfeit of exhibitions, of one sort or another, chief among which have been the splendid series which so many witnessed at South Kensington, and which have given to many of the inhabitants of these isles a far better ideal of the empire's resources than otherwise they would have had, besides having contributed not a little to the stimulation of commerce, while furnis.h.i.+ng agreeable entertainment to the sightseer. That the day of the exhibition, as we understand the word, as an educational and profit-raising medium, is not yet gone, is proved by the holding of the Irish, Italian, and Anglo-Danish Exhibitions in London this year, and the popularity of the more general display at Glasgow, not to speak of minor shows which have found favour elsewhere.

The forerunner of all these magnificent spectacles was the Great Exhibition of 1851, held in Hyde Park, on the initiative of the late Prince Consort, who borrowed the idea from the State-supported Expositions at Paris. The Prince proposed that an exhibition of colossal proportions should be held in London, in a building specially designed for the purpose, and that it should be open to compet.i.tors from all nations, so as to form a veritable "world's fair." The scheme was entered into with alacrity by the public. All sorts of representative men cordially supported the Prince. A big banquet was given by the Lord Mayor of London in the Mansion House, on March 21st, 1850, to the munic.i.p.al magnates of the kingdom, at which the success of the undertaking was practically a.s.sured; and later on a similar feast was given in the ancient city of York, at which the Prince again eloquently and effectively pleaded for the accomplishment of the task to which he had set his hand. A Royal Commission was appointed to manage the undertaking. Hyde Park was fixed upon as the most appropriate site for the building, and Sir Joseph Paxton, though not an architect, was honoured with instructions to design the fabric--that magnificent Crystal Palace, which was subsequently removed to a permanent and commanding position at Sydenham, and which is familiar to every London resident and visitor. It was formed chiefly of iron and gla.s.s, being 1,848 feet long, 408 feet broad, and 66 feet high; crossed by a transept 108 feet high, and also 408 feet in length, for the purpose of enclosing and encasing a group of n.o.ble elms. Within, the nave presented a clear, un.o.bstructive avenue, from one end of the building to the other, 72 feet in span, and 64 feet in height. The wings, exterior to the centre or nave on each side, had also galleries the same height, the wings themselves being broken up into a series of courts each 48 feet wide.

The number of columns used in the entire edifice was 3,230. There were 34 miles of gutter for carrying off the rain-water to the columns, which were hollow, and served as water-pipes; 202 miles of sash-bars, and 900,000 superficial feet of gla.s.s, weighing upwards of 400 tons. The building covered about 18 acres of ground, and, with the galleries, gave an exhibition surface of 21 acres, with eight miles of tables for laying out goods. The building cost 176,000; and though the plan was not accepted until the 26th of July, and the first column not fixed until two months later, the edifice was virtually completed by the 1st of the following January, on which date it was delivered over to the Exhibition Commissioners to be fitted up for its destined purpose. The Crystal Palace excited universal admiration for its wonderful combination of vastness and beauty, and when it was fully furnished, and opened to the public, on the 1st of May, 1851, the visitor felt as if he had entered a fairy-like scene of enchantment, a gathering-ground of grace, brightness, and delight.

It was a splendid sunny morning, and the a.s.sembled mult.i.tude was brilliant in the extreme. The Queen, accompanied by the Prince Consort, walked in procession through the immense aggregation of treasures, followed by an imposing array of eminent British and foreign notabilities. It has been truly said that within the giant palace of gla.s.s were then ma.s.sed representatives of all the people and productions of the earth--a grand presentment of wealth, intelligence, and enterprise. There were over 17,000 exhibitors, some 3,000 of whom received medals of merit. The Exhibition remained open until the 15th of October, altogether 144 days, during which it was visited by 6,170,000 persons. The greatest number present in any one day was 109,760, on October 8th. On one occasion 93,000 were within the palace at the same moment, which surpa.s.sed, it is said, in magnitude, any number ever a.s.sembled together under one roof in the world's history. The charges of admission to the Great Exhibition were practically the same as those obtained at the recent South Kensington "shows," and the whole affair was so well managed and successful in every point that at its close a surplus of 150,000 remained, after paying all expenses.

FACTS ABOUT OCEAN STEAMs.h.i.+PS.

Mr. John Burns contributed to a recent number of _Good Words_ a paper ent.i.tled "Something about the Cunard Line," which contains some interesting facts with regard to the equipment and working of ocean steams.h.i.+ps. Taking the _Etruria_ as a sample of the present vessels of the Cunard fleet, he states that her consumption of coal is 300 tons per day, or twelve tons per hour, or 466 lbs. per minute. For a single pa.s.sage across the Atlantic (which takes seven days) she requires the following provisions--12,550 lbs. fresh beef, 760 lbs. corned beef, 5 320 lbs. mutton, 850 lbs. lamb, 350 lbs. veal, 350 lbs. pork, 2,000 lbs.

fresh fish, 600 fowls, 300 chickens, 100 ducks, 50 geese, 80 turkeys, 200 brace grouse, 15 tons potatoes, 30 hampers vegetables, 220 quarts ice-cream, 1,000 quarts milk, and 11,500 eggs. The groceries for the double voyage include 650 lbs. tea, 1,200 lbs. coffee, 1,000 lbs. white sugar, 2,880 lbs. moist sugar, 750 lbs. pulverized sugar, 1,500 lbs.

cheese, 2,000 lbs. b.u.t.ter, 3,500 lbs. ham, and 1,000 lbs. bacon. The quant.i.ties of wines, spirits, beer, &c., put on board for consumption on the double voyage comprise--1,100 bottles of champagne, 850 bottles of claret, 6,000 bottles of ale, 2,500 bottles of porter, 4,500 bottles of mineral water, 650 bottles of various spirits. Crockery is broken very extensively, being at the rate of 900 plates, 280 cups, 438 saucers, 1,213 tumblers, 200 wine gla.s.ses, 27 decanters, and 63 water bottles in a single voyage.

The Cunard s.h.i.+ps, it is further stated, traverse yearly a distance equal to five times that between the earth and the moon.

In the course of a year the fleet consumes 4,656 sheep, 1,800 lambs, and 2,474 oxen, besides 831,603 eggs; and among other articles of consumption are 1 tons of mustard, 1 tons of pepper, 7,216 bottles pickles, 8,000 tins sardines, 15 tons marmalade, 22 tons raisins, currants, and figs, and so on through a long list, finis.h.i.+ng with 930 tons potatoes, 24,075 fowls, 4,230 ducks, 2,200 turkeys, 2,200 geese, 31,312 tablets Pears' soap, 3,484 lbs. Windsor soap, 10 tons yellow soap. The coal burned during the year amounts to 356,764 tons, which, if built as a wall four feet high and one foot thick, would reach from Land's End to John o' Groats.

ORPHAN BESS.

I am sure that most of our young friends know the meaning of the word "orphan"; and perhaps among the numerous readers of the LITTLE GLEANER are some that are orphans themselves. But if some of the younger ones do not understand what is meant by the word, we must tell them that, when children have lost both parents by death, we call them orphans. Very sad indeed it is to lose both father and mother while young, for no earthly friend can really fill their place. It is of such a child that I am writing a few words, and I trust that our little readers will indeed feel thankful to G.o.d if He has spared them both parents, and granted them happy and comfortable homes.

It is more than ten years ago since I first saw her whom I now call Orphan Bess, and her baby sister. The first great shadow had then fallen upon her home, and I had to attend the funeral. This was in March, 1878.

A very pale, fragile child our little maid was then, and her baby sister was more delicate still. She then sat on the floor, wondering at the tears of her mother, frightened at the strange faces and people that came to bear her father away, and trying to still the baby, which was wailing in the saddest tones. Oh, how unfit to be thrown on the world--the cold, rough world--without the strong arm of the father, and only the mother to s.h.i.+eld! But a Greater Arm than the earthly father supported and maintained, and they were not left alone.

A few months later the baby died, and Bess and the mother were left again.

Years rolled on, and the mother and child struggled on together, and the promise of Him who cares for the widow and fatherless was proved faithful and true in their needs.

But a darker cloud than ever now came, when the mother laid down and died. Ten years had rolled away, and in March, 1888, this great blow came upon Bess. These years had made a great change in our little maid, and when we saw her on the day of the funeral she seemed much altered--still pale and thin, small and fragile, and very deaf. I have seen many affecting sights and many sorrowful cases in my journey through life, but as we stood around the grave of the departed mother and father of Bess, in St. Thomas's churchyard, at Woolwich, on the 17th of March, 1888, I saw the saddest sight of all. The open grave, containing the remains of the father; the coffin ready to be lowered into it, containing the dead mother; and the pale, thin, deaf orphan, standing alone in the world. The blinding snow fell around, and the wind blew piercingly through the graveyard. A large crowd of strange faces, and the chief object of interest the orphan child. What wonder, then, that the child, frightened and trembling, should turn her face away from the coffin and crowd, and hide her sobs in the dress of a kind woman near? Alone in the world now, yet not alone.

The hymn commencing, "For ever with the Lord," is sung softly, and as the strains are heard, we remember that "the Lord liveth." Though father and mother are dead, yet "the Lord liveth," who has promised to look to the orphan, and whose eyes are ever upon the needy. What a position to occupy! No father, no mother, no home, unable to hear, a helpless orphan girl cast upon the world! The words of the poet came into my mind at the moment--

"What is home without a mother?

What are all the joys we meet, When her gentle smile no longer Greets the coming of our feet?"

I have omitted one matter, and that is, Bessie's mother was my sister; and the thought came with power into my mind, while I stood at the grave, that while the Lord blessed me with ability and strength, we could share our bread with Bess sooner than see her want.

Father and mother may die, and they must die, but there is One that cannot alter and that cannot fail.

I trust our young friends who read these few lines are interested in our little maid; and if any are living in St. Leonards or Hastings, they may sometimes see a thin, pale girl of twelve years, small for her age, with dark hair, cut short, sharp nose, and keen grey eyes. This is Orphan Bess. Not without friends now, for the Lord has already raised up kind friends and strong arms to help her, and made room for her in many hearts. May the Lord show her further favour by granting her His grace is our sincere prayer, comfort her on earth "as a mother comforteth her children," and be her everlasting Portion in heaven.

Gleaners, you that have fathers and mothers, remember they are your best earthly friends, and think of desolate Bess. Gleaners that are orphans, remember "the Lord liveth," and that He careth for you.

J. D.

"MARY HAD A LITTLE LAMB."

The well-known verses beginning, "Mary had a little lamb," were founded on actual circ.u.mstances, and the heroine, Mary, is still living. About seventy years ago she was a little girl, the daughter of a farmer in Worcester County, Ma.s.sachusetts, United States.

One spring, the farmer brought a feeble lamb into the house, and Mary adopted it as her especial pet. It became so fond of her that it would follow her everywhere.

One day, it followed her to the village school, and, not knowing what else to do with it, she put it under her desk and covered it with her shawl. There it stayed until Mary was called up to the teacher's desk to say her lesson, and then the lamb walked quietly after her, and the other children burst out laughing, so the teacher had to shut up the little girl's pet in the wood-shed until school was over.

Soon after this, a young student, named John Rollstone, wrote a little rhyme about Mary and her lamb, and presented it to her. The lamb grew to be a sheep, and lived for many years, and when at last it died, Mary grieved so much for it that her mother took some of its wool, which was "as white as snow," and knitted a pair of stockings for her to wear in remembrance of her darling.

Some years after the lamb's death, Mrs. Sarah Hall, a celebrated woman, who wrote many books, composed some verses about Mary's lamb, and added them to those written by John Rollstone, making the complete rhyme as we know it.

Mary took such good care of the stockings made from her lamb's fleece that, when she was a grown-up woman, she was able to give one of them to a bazaar in Boston. As soon as the fact became known that the stocking was made from the fleece of "Mary's little lamb," every one wanted a piece of it; so the stocking was ravelled out, and the yarn cut into short pieces. Each piece was tied to a card on which "Mary" wrote her full name, and these cards sold so well that they brought the large sum of 28 towards the bazaar fund.

LORD, I have tried how this thing and that thing will fit my spirit. I can find nothing to rest on, for nothing here hath any rest itself. O Centre and Source of light and strength--O Fulness of all things--I come to Thee!--_Arthur H. Hallam._

UNDER THE LONDON STREETS.

It is true that there are tubes beneath the London streets, but with one exception, they are not used for the transmission of letters, but for telegrams only. This exception is a tube between Euston Station and the General Post Office, through which a few day mail-bags to and from towns on the London and North-Western are sent. The Post Office authorities find that these tubes are quicker than carts, but their speed is not so great as is usually supposed. From seventeen to thirty-five miles an hour is the average, but with more powerful engines it is believed that eighty miles an hour could be attained. The longest tube in London is two miles three hundred and thirty-nine yards in length. Originally there were only seventeen pneumatic tubes in operation, the longest being that which went to Fenchurch Street, namely, nine hundred and eighty yards. The second in length was that to Leadenhall Street--six hundred and fifty-nine yards. The diameter of the tubes varies from one and a half inches to two and a quarter inches. The telegrams are placed in little leather cases, called "carriers." The time taken in transmission to Fenchurch Street is, by atmospheric pressure, one minute five seconds; by suction the speed is somewhat slower--one minute twenty seconds.

The steam engine used at the General Post Office is forty horse power.

For sending one of the carriers from forty to fifty yards not more than four or five seconds is necessary. The most complete tubes in London are those under the streets between Temple Bar and the General Post Office, a distance of 1,333 yards. The tubes form what may be called a pneumatic railway, with an up and down line. In these tubes telegrams are sent which sometimes are not sent by electricity at all. Thus, if any one wishes to wire from Cheapside to the Temple, his message is placed in a carrier and sent under the streets.