after parading, they are marched to the school
rooms to join in the religious exercises for half an hour; at half-past
seven, they have breakfast, and at eight are told off to the workshops,
where they remain till twelve, when they again parade, previous to going
to dinner. For dinner they have a large plate of soup, a small portion
of meat, a small loaf of bread, and a mug of water. At one o'clock, they
return to their work. When they have completed their allotted task, they
are allowed to play till four, when they have supper. At half-past four
they go to school, where they remain till eight o'clock, the time for
going to bed. Each boy has a separate cell, which is locked and barred
at night. The cells are in long, lofty, well ventilated corridors, each
corridor containing one hundred cells. The doors of the cells are all
grated, in order that the boys may have light and air, and also be under
the direct supervision of the officers, who, though very strict,
apparently know well how to temper strictness with kindness. Before
going to bed, half an hour is again devoted to religious exercises,
singing hymns, reading the Bible, etc.

"One of the most interesting, and at the same time, one of the most
important features of the Refuge, is the workshop. On entering the shop,
the visitor is amused by finding a lot of little urchins occupied in
making ladies' hoopskirts of the latest fashionable design; nearly 100
are engaged in the crinoline department. In the same long room, about
fifty are weaving wire for sifting cotton, making wire sieves, rat-traps,
gridirons, flower baskets, cattle noses, etc. The principal work,
however, is carried on in the boot and shoe department. The labor of the
boys is let out to contractors, who supply their own foremen to teach the
boys and superintend the work, but the society have their own men to keep
order and correct the boys when necessary, the contractors' men not being
allowed to interfere with them in any way whatever. There are 590 boys
in this department. They manage on an average to turn out about 2500
pairs of boots and shoes daily, which are mostly shipped to the Southern
States. Each one has a certain amount of work allotted to him in the
morning, which he is bound to complete before four o'clock in the
afternoon. Some are quicker and more industrious than others, and will
get their work done by two o'clock; this gives two hours' play to those
in the first division