The Child's Companion.

Some years ago, I picked up this book at a jumble sale. There is an inscription dated 1911. It makes fascinating reading, beautifully written stories and poems, and adverts for old-fashioned remedies. Stedman's powders for teething,Macassar Oil for hair, Peark's strong tea, Red White and Blue coffee and Dunkley's ball bearing carriages for infants.
There is a most poignant page at the end. It reads....slightly aabridged...as follows:- Dear Boys and Girls, Do you have nice warm clothes and food to eat and get presents at Christmas and birhdays? Have you seen the poor children ragged and bare foot, playing in the gutters with sticks ans stones? Have you seen others lying in long carriages, the hunchbacks and the lame ? There are 7,000 crippled children in London, who have nothing.Please ask your parents to send any old clothing and boots and toys.Or some money for surgical instruments and carriages. Sir J. Kirk, J.P. Ragged School Union & Shaftesbury Society. London.