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CHAPTER XVII. 



HOUSEHOLD REFUSE. 



Scavenging in the East ; Chi/onniers ; Different Classes ; Their Dwellings ; 

 Hard Work and Honesty Annual Sale at the Tuileries Old Clothes, 

 many Vicissitudes, what Becomes of Them Old Uniforms ; Old 

 Hats; Rags Woollen Rags Various Materials used in Paper 

 making Waste - paper Papier-machd " Hard and Soft Core " ; 

 Dust-sifting Old Boots and Shoes, and "Jamaica Rum "Broken 

 Glass Bones Manure; "Bone-meal"; Bone-black Old Pots and 

 Pans Broken Meat. 



NATURE'S scavengers are not perfect, but the result 

 of their labours on the whole is, that, where Nature 

 is left to herself, not only is nothing wasted, but refuse of 

 all kinds is so speedily disposed of that we seldom come 

 across anything to disgust either sight or sense of smell. 

 Where man comes on the scene, indeed, the case is dif- 

 ferent ; but Nature can no more be expected to dispose of 

 his refuse for him than to feed and clothe him, and pro- 

 vide for his other wants, though he oftentimes leaves a 

 great deal to her, and owes her, as Miss Staveley reminds 

 us, always far more than he is generally aware of. 



Certainly, in the matter of scavenging, man does not 

 compare favourably with Nature, for she knows nothing of 

 the accumulations of filth and rubbish with which he is 

 puzzled to deal ; and, after watching her labourers at their 

 work, it is rather humiliating to glance at a dust-yard and be 



