212 Cruelty to Birds 



Women in varied raiment stood in groups, gesticu- 

 lating, nodding, chattering, and at times harshly- 

 laughing. Some were matrons of stalwart and 

 ponderous figures, arms akimbo, and bonnetless. 



Others were factory girls, resplendent in violet or 

 butcher-blue gowns, and yellow or red shawls ; their 

 heads surmounted by magnificent broad-brimmed hats, 

 adorned with ribbons and shabby ostrich feathers of 

 painfully brilliant hues. 



Children dodged about amongst their elders; some, 

 street arabs of the ordinary shock-headed, bare-footed 

 type ; others, whose parents were of the well-to-do 

 order, in gorgeous reach-me-downs, purchased in the 

 Mile End Road. 



Many of the windows of the squalid houses were 

 framed in bird cages, and the notes of linnets, gold- 

 finches, chaffinches, and larks made themselves heard 

 through the hubbub of human tongues. 



Singing matches were in progress in some of the 

 gin palaces, with champion chaffinches, and bets were 

 evidently being made over the favourites. 



Indeed, the general scene was the idea of a third- 

 rate racecourse, where the Upper Ten was conspicuous 

 by its absence. 



The sight of all these birds, many of whom had 

 but the day before been flying " o'er the downs so 

 free," saddened me. 



The coarse language grated on one's ears. 



Yet the general behaviour was perfectly orderly, 

 and the crowded gathering a friendly one. 



Still ! there were the birds ! and one knows that 



