The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1880-01-06 00:00:00

BOURNEMOUTH.
SATURDAY Ntrarr IN A LONDON STREET.
To tho Editor.

Sir,—Saturday night is the holiday of the eons of t I
and the most fatiguing time for shopmen. The street is
crowded with those who here money to spend awl with
those who have things to sell. On this night the
displays his stock with more than ordinary skill. W,
well.
presume thet it is his hest assistant (.z, the most
oratorical) who is standing outside with a sharp knit and
plenty of tongue. He knows tbst if he does not suit
curtorners the next Mitch. r, • few doors &ten, will, an 4
sett accordingly. His anxiety as t the Phfsical
being of the B h public finds expression in a placard
to the following ,fleet :—" Beef-steak plasters fir sore
chests always on hand." How anyone could resist sub an
affectimate appeal to doctor up the inner n.an it I. hard
to conceive, lut still time hesitate befere trying lb,
experiment. A woman—l bro pardon—a lady, trete'
along wishing to buy a piece of meat. She tries to hi.
thi. *WI from the butcher by looking ar indifferent ha
I.ol.itrie. He, however, knows his business, turns his
back to the weict, ised l..nking towards the atorsoaut
plasters. cries--Now 111/11..5, this Wee, buy f buy
buy, bay. Buy, buy. Then turning sharply round, I.
finds hi. victim "pulled up" before • delicious lit of 'Ref.
Walt. In a twinkling be is sharpening his knife, and
asking how much he shall cA. After a little show of
resistance on her part, he succeeds in forcing on her cli
she wanted and a little bit more. The fruiterer is also
busy, his men are perspiring freely from the lusty exercise
of their lungs. In the street and &are to the pavement
are stalls on which are displayed everything you can
expect to find in the street, butter, cheese, veget.blea
saps, window curtains, rollers, fruits, earthenware. *.
At intervals you come across some mill.known
—the street musicians. Here is • blind 111.11 niging
S inkey's hymns and supporting his quavering noire with
the notes of an stem lion. There, a 1/111110011.1 looking
pair are singing a vulgar song. They look nobody in the
face, but occasion/sly wink and give a ith oitly smile.
Leaving them wallowing in the mire, meet illy, we move
forward and find • small group around a poor woman who
is singing. She does not appear to notice anybody. but
geese sh be top of the shop window and Seem. lost to her-
self in thifight Judging from her appearence, one would
think that she learnt the songs she *lnes in far different
circumstatmestowhataheisin now. Asrep ortwoupa aide-
street. and not ''far from the madding crow l's ignoble
ie a women with • barge heap of old clothes before
her and surrounded by a crowd of other female.. She
takes up • night-gown, exhibits it to the bye-standen by
ti e all of a flaring lamp, and offers it for Is. Of course
nobody offers it and then she runs down 3d. at a time as
fast an she ran spesk till the figure is 2. Then she etops
ao4 if nobody buys it it is thrown on one side. Leaving
this practical upholder of women's rights and her tamale
audienee we re-enter the street. The roprietor of a small
stall, by the ail of a staring placard, implores an to
"cough no more drops," but to have some. As we have
never had the misfortune to do such a thing we decide not
to patronise the firm, but save our money till such an
unhappy day should arrive.—Yours truly,
Boseombe, December, liir79.

Vs,Nos.