Punch: Punch (75.1878)

January 4, 1879.]

PUNCH, OK THE LONDON CHARIVARI.

303

f3 U ^LUa V"^

A FIEND IN HUMAN SHAPE.

"Beg pardon, Sir! But I've just caught these two Young Kascals making a
Slide in front of tour Doorstep, and they say as you gave 'em permission ! "

"It's quite correct. I did, Policeman. TnE fact is, I expect my Mother-in-law
to Luncheon ! "

A STANDING EYIL TO BE COUNTERACTED.

Dr. A. W. Edis, who has already written to the Times, on the cruelty of keeping shop-

Sirls on their feet from the beginning to the end of their long day's work, has now pub-
shed proof of the prevalence and cruelty of the practice in a pamphlet, under the
auspices of the National Health Society, 44, Berners Street. Punch commends this pamphlet
to the perusal of all humane and sensible employers of shop women, and all Lady-customers
of shops in which women serve.

They could do much by preferring those shops in which provision is made to enable their
hard-worked shopwomen to enjoy a snatch of rest in a moment of leisure, and letting it be
known why they prefer them. Cceteris paribus, these are likely to be the shops in which
they will be best served. Dr. Edis's pamphlet gives all needful information how counter-
seats may be and have been contrived, Punch is glad to say, by many thoughtful employers,
at little cost, and no inconvenience.

The Ladies should not sit down content till the poor shopgirls can sit down too.

GREETINGS FOR THE NEW YEAR.

General Pipeclay. Afghan campaign,
Eh? U'm, so far they might have done
worse, considering they 've all Company-
officers in command! With the old and
experienced Queen's officers they have
ready to hand at home too! It's suicidal,
Sir. But if they like to cut their own
throats instead of the enemies,-"

Admiral Blazes. New Year's Day, and
we are not bombarding Cronstadt! Service
has gone—you know where.

Lieutenant Easy, R.N. Yes, a naval
campaign would have been all very jolly.
Awful bore to lose one's hunting, though.

Mr. Screwman {Manufacturer). Deuced
hard times, Sir. Give you my word, a man
must think twice before he opens a bottle
of Lafltte or Pommery tres sec.

John Jones {Labourer). Drat them
Unions! Fourteen shillings a week was
better than starving on strike. I've as
good as forgotten the taste of beef, beer,
and baccy.

_ Mr. Bung {Licensed Victualler). Awful
times! Haven't sent away a customer with
what you could call a skinful this fortnight
past.

Voices from a Certain Llouse {of Talk).
Spirited foreign policy! Tbat's your game !
And as many millions as the Government
like to ask for. Hear, hear !

Voices from Another House {of Work).
There 's a precious lot of us already, and
more coming. Where '11 they put us all, I
wonder, if things gets wus' ?

Everybody to Mr. Punch. Oh, please,
Mr. Punch, here's another awfully black-
looking New Year! What are we to do ?

Mr. Punch to Everybody. Keep up your
spirits, my friends! Better sense, better
luck, better trade, and better times coming
—let us hope.

NOT "UNIVERSAL AS THE SUN."

An old reading—so old that Punch had
hoped it was obsolete—and a new applica-
tion of the burden of blessing from the
Angels' Christmas Song, "Peace on Earth,
Goodwill towards Men," comes to us from
the columns of the Manchester Exa-
miner :—■

"A staunch Conservative and Churchman,
having arranged with Mr. Ben Brierley and
others to give a Christmas entertainment on
behalf of the poor in one of the outlying parishes
of Manchester, applied to the rector for the use
of the Church schools on the occasion. The fol-
lowing is an extract from the Rev. Gentleman's
reply :—

"' I have many reasons why I cannot fall in
with your request for the entertainment. I do
not think a Church School ought to be used for
feasting the aged members of Roman Catholics,
Unitarians, and others, who are diametrically
opposed to us both in religion and politics.' "

Probably this Reverend Gentleman adopts
the Vulgate version of the text which confines
the " Peace on Earth," to " Men of Good-
will," and understands by "Men of_ Good-
will," men of his own way of thinking.
Church charity, in his view, ought to end,
as well as begin, at home.

Happily this reading of the angelic burden
of the Christian Christmas Song is as rare as
it is restrictive. Punch notes it as a special
rarity in Manchester, with its large-hearted
and large-brained Bishop, and its liberal re-
cord of gifts and labours in aid of the poor
and suffering at this time of trial, which fills
columns of the same journal that makes
public this unique utterance of uncharitable
exclusiveness.