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A bright and handsome youth came up to me the evening on which the removal to Spruce street took place, and said, "It is no longer Rue de Pear, but Rue de Spruce." All the furniture, including book-case, and other heavy articles, was carried by the boys, who marched in procession, bearing their respective burdens. It was grand sport to them, and saved the Society much expense.

CHAPTER V.

THE HOME IN SPRUCE STREET.

ON the evening of the 16th of November, 1858, I had the pleasure of uniting with the boys in their first meal at the Home. The Superintendent had, as he supposed, provided enough both for tea and for breakfast the next morning; but his calculations were sadly at fault, as many articles, and considerable quantities of them, had to be obtained from neighbouring stores to satisfy the demands of the tea-table. It did one good to see with what perfect enjoyment they ate; their hearty appetites were a decided benefit to the provision men who furnished the supplies. The Superintendent's record of this meal is as follows: "The boys pitched into it right and left, and soon put everything like eatables out of sight."

The comforts of a Home, such as they now had, were before unknown to many of the boys, and their expressions of gratitude and delight were very touching. A moderate price is charged for board, the payment of which gives them a feeling of self-respect.

They now began to pay some attention to their personal appearance, which they had never done before, and some provided themselves with new and comfortable clothing at their own expense. It was almost impossible to recognise some of them, especially on Sundays. Their clean faces and new apparel presented a strange contrast to their former slovenly habits.

One youth, doubtless prompted by a consciousness of his improved condition, cast a prophetic glance into the future, and built himself, not exactly a castle in the air, but a residence in Camden, New Jersey. A copy of this future home of a Philadelphia newsboy to be erected on the opposite side of the Delaware river, in 1863, is given, that the reader may see to what a height his ambition carried him. It may be well to state that the object to the right of the house is a pump, and I am glad to say that the expectant possessor of the premises is a cold water boy -- a strict teetotaller.

Another lad made a spasmodic effort to turn over a new leaf, and having arrayed himself in an unusually clean shirt and an entire suit of clothing, stood before the looking-glass and, leisurely surveying himself, exclaimed, in a tone of great exultation, "Can this be Scott!"

Ellard also made his appearance in an entire new suit of clothes, and seemed quite proud of them. He also made a desperate effort to learn to read, and thus make up for his folly in running away from school; but the task was too severe, and after studying an hour or so for a few evenings, during which he could be heard in almost every part of the house, he gave up in despair.

About this time a gentleman when purchasing a paper of one of the boys, told him not to cheat in making the change. "I belong to the Newsboys' Home," was the reply, deeming that a sufficient guarantee for his honesty, but the gentleman had not heard of any such establishment, and asked for an explanation, which the boy was delighted to give. This was followed by an invitation to visit the Home, which was accepted, and the lad had the satisfaction of escorting him there, and introducing him to the Superintendent.

The Sunday services were now attended with much greater regularity than before. The Lord's day had been appropriated by them to amusement and dissipation, and was their day for gambling and other kindred vices. It had long been their custom to repair early every pleasant Sunday morning during the summer, to their favourite resorts on the banks of the river, and spend the day in card playing, drinking, &c. When prevented from visiting these places, many oyster cellars and other similar places were open to them in different parts of the city.

To relinquish this sad and sinful life, for instruction in the word of God, was a change too great to be wrought at once and it is not surprising that while many were persuaded to refrain from thus desecrating the Sabbath, few were willing to listen to the teachings of the Scriptures, a book looked upon by them, in common with very many others, as dull and gloomy, suited only for old age, or the deathbed -- "the book," not to guide them through life, but rather to be shunned.

At first some of the boys that were present at our Sunday afternoon gatherings, would come well supplied with candy and fruit. These were generously handed from one to the other, and disappeared rapidly. Nothing of this kind is now seen, unless introduced by a new comer, who very soon yields to the influences exerted by the others, and becomes an attentive and respectful listener.

Poor Ellard found it more difficult to be still on Sunday than on any other day. I well remember his restlessness at the third meeting he attended, February 14, 1858. It was late when he entered the room, and soon after his arrival he stretched himself at full length, face downwards, and poising upon the hump on his breast, used it as a pivot on which to whirl himself around, in a most mysterious manner. The sight was quite a novel one to me, but did not appear to be so to the boys. Finding it did not draw their attention from the subject before us, I took no notice of it, beyond an occasional curious glance. I believe these revolutions were not made through mischief. Poor deformed lad! he looked pale and wearied, and remaining long in a sitting posture was painful to him. I subsequently discovered that, although to a careless observer he might appear to be heedless of what was said, he was an attentive listener. There was an occasional expression of interest in the glance of his quick eye, which could not be mistaken as indicative of strong inward feeling, which, however, with characteristic affectation of indifference, he endeavoured to conceal. Upon one occasion, when a gentleman had ended an address to the boys upon "conscience," as the voice of God speaking in the soul, he expressed his hope that they would remember what had been said, and be able to repeat it at some future time. "I have forgotten it already," said Ellard, throwing himself upon the bench. So far from this being the case, I found upon questioning him, some weeks after, that he recollected the greater part of what had been told him.