Chapter XXVII
Reading edition
THE MINISTRY OF FLOWERS—THE LITTLE VAGABONDS OF CORLEAR'S HOOK.
The Rookeries of the "Hook"—The "Gavroches" and "Topsies" of the Quarter—Great Number of Homeless Children—A School-building turned into a Lodging-house—The Superintendent—His Artistic Faculty—Flowers—A Novel Reward for the Children—Distribution of Flowers among the Poor—An Aquarium and Green-house—The Industrial School—An Earnest Teacher—The Children Like Little Indians—The Night-school and Free Reading-room—Sunday-evening Meetings—Assistance by various Gentlemen—A Young Army Officer and others—The Effect of these Meetings—The Purchase of the House—Begging Money for Charities—A Disagreeable Duty—Liberality of New York Merchants—Labors of Two of the Trustees—Gift of a Beautiful Conservatory to the Lodging-house—The Attractions of the School-room—Mothers' Meetings—Statistics of the Lodging-house—ELEVENTH-WARD LODGING-HOUSE—The Little Copper-stealers—Difficulties of the Superintendent in this House—Final Success—The Night-school, Day-school, and Bank—Sunday-evening Meetings—Labors of One Trustee—Our Hopes to Secure Better Lodging-house—Statistics……………………………..pp. 330-338