IN the course of my inquiries, I received an account of an effort made by a body of these people to provide against sickness,—a step so clearly in the right direction, and perhaps so little to be expected from the habits of the class, that I feel bound to notice it. It was called the "Street-sellers' Society;" but as nearly all the members (or those who sought benefit from its funds) were patterers in paper, or ballad-singers, I can most appropriately notice their proceedings here.

The society "sprung up accidental," as it was expressed to me. A few paper-workers were conversing of the desirableness of such an institution, and of the body suggested a benefit club, which it was at once determined to establish. It was accordingly established between and years ago, and was carried on for about years. The members varied in number from to ; but of a proportion of , as many as might be tradesmen who were interested in the street-trade, either in supplying the articles in demand for it, or from keeping public-houses resorted to by the fraternity, or any such motive, or who were merely curious to mix in such society. Mr. C—— was conductor; Mr. J. H—— (a poet, and the writer of "Black Bess," "the Demon of the Sea," and other things which "took" in the streets), secretary; and a well-known patterer was underconductor, with which office was mixed up the rather onerous duties of a kind of master of the ceremonies on meeting-nights. None of the officers were paid.

The subscription was a week, and meetings of the members were held once a week. Each member, not an officer, paid for admission to the fund, and could introduce a visitor, who also paid No charge was made for the use of the club-room (in a public-house), which was entirely in the control of the members. Every using bad language, or behaving improperly, was fined , and on a offence was ejected, and sometimes, if the misbehaviour was gross, on the . Any called upon to sing, and refusing, or being unable, was fined , and was liable to be called upon again, and pay another fine. A visitor sometimes, instead of , offered when fined; but this was not accepted,—only could be received. The members' wives could and did often accompany their husbands to the meetings; but women of the town, whether introduced by members or not, were not permitted to remain. "They found their way in a few times," said the man who was underconductor to me, "but I managed to work them out without any bother, and without insulting them—God forbid!"

The assistance given was weekly to sick members, who were not in arrear in their subscriptions. If the man had a family to support, a gathering was made for him, in addition to his weekly allowance,—for the members were averse to "distress the box" (fund). There was no allowance for the burial of a member, but a gathering took place, and perhaps a raffle, to raise funds for a wake (sometimes) and an interment; and during the existence of the society, members, I was told, were buried that way "comfortably." The subscriptions were paid up regularly enough; "indeed," said a member to me, "if a man earned anything, his mates knew of it: we all know how the cat jumps that way, so he must either pay or be scratched." The members not unfrequently lent each other money to pay up their subscriptions. Fashionable young "swells," I was told, often visited the house, and stayed till or in the morning, but were very seldom in the club-room, which was closed regularly at . After that hour, the "swells" who were bent upon seeing life —(and they are a class whom the patterers, on all such occasions, not so very unreasonably consider "fair game" for bamboozling)—could enjoy the society congenial to their tastes or gratifying to their curiosity. On occasion policemen were among the visitors, and were on friendly terms enough with the members, some of whom they had seen before.

From the beginning there seems to have been a distrust of another among the members, but a distrust not invincible or the club would never have been formed. Instead of the "box," or fund (the money being deposited in a box), being allowed to accumulate, so that an investment might be realised, available for any emergency, the fund was divided among the members quarterly, and then the subscription went on anew. The payments, however, fell off. The calling of the members was precarious, their absence in the country was frequent, and so the society ceased to exist, but the members were satisfied that every thing was done honourably.

The purpose to which the funds, on a quarterly division, were devoted, was not confined to such men as the patterers—to a supper. "None of your light suppers, sir," said a member; "not by no means. And we were too fly to send anybody to market but ourselves. We used to go to Leadenhall, and buy a cut off a