The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1853-09-28

by their wives from the public houses, and
It seems very probematical whether they
have sense enough, if they have money
enough, without the aid of the women, to
make prudent provision for the morrow.
Some of the more respectable shop. keep
ers begin to make demonstrations of clos.
ing for the night; goods that have lain alI
day on the pavement are silently moved
INTO the interior; gilded mirrors are vciled
IN canvas shrouds; the tlaring gas is ;uru-
ed partially down to modest light; AMI
one after another the dealers III heavy ar
uc!eS close up their huge shop fronts, and
wind up the traffic Of the week.
But now the slop-selIcr, she shoe-shor,
the butcher, grocer, baker, vegetable deaf
er, and general provision merchants, are
buster than ever. There IS hardly an
hour to elapse before midnight, and thou
sands of customers have yet to be supplied.
Inc ceremony of bargaining now becomes
marvcI!ously abbreviated there is little
time for judgement or selection. Those
who have deferred their purchases to the
last moment, have now but brief period
allowed them to decide, so great is the
press OF business in all quarters. Among
these are many who have Just received
Their wages, and who are forced by their
employers weekly to undergo this loss and
Inconvenience. The crowding and clalnor
around the street stalls in the. Marsh is
ccaseless and deafening. The late ragred
urchin is still roaring, "buy my last bunch
of onions" having sold dozen last bunch
es within the last two hours. The tinmau
has got rid Of the major part Of his pots
and kettles, and, being bv this time half
lncbriated, is offering the remainder n n
price plainly unrcmunerative.
The earthenware and crockery. which
two hours ago was a goodly pile, has near
ly all walked off the ground, and the
whole stock has dwinded down to few
mugs and jugs, brown glazed pans and
baking dishes, most of which are in the
hands OF intending purchasers, and under
going certain yiolent' applications of the
first and knuckles, calculated to test tLei,
isoantihess ana Integrity. The poor fiowe,
seller has parted with most of her nose
gays, but still sits with her pale and with
cred face among the ruddt wall flowers
with ball of thread in her lap with which
she is quietly tying up more halfpcnuy
punches. The weaver of toastinp forks
has disappeared, it is to be hoped with
the means Of buying something to toast
for himself. The f:e-scrcen carver has
followed in the same track.
But there is one species of commerce
OF which, repuIsive as It is in its aspect,
we must take mementary view, for il
excels all others in the rapidity of its con-
summation. The commerce we allude TO
is that carried on at the gin shop. where
men and women, boys and girls, and even
children, barter their health and their rca.
son for the stimulus of a brief excitcneu.
Let us look in at one OF these paint, d ana
GIIded dcns. The int, rior is rlilterinr
aIott with crystal and Furnished brass.
whilst it is crammcd below with RAGS, vice
and domoraIization. Here, in corner,
a drunkard without shirt, a snoring
mass Of filth and squalor, is sleeping him,
self sober after debauch wretched wo
men, begrimed with dirt and tawdrv fine
ry, and clamorous for the intoxicating
drought that browns reflection. Fighting
men are groaming out broad rbald jokes,
and already half inehriated, are an,icipat-
ing the delights Of q fray.
Working mems wives, with their pro.
vison-l den baskets on their arms. are
luxuriating- alas thst it should be So
over the weekly dram, the price of winch
they have rescued from the spare allow
ancc of market money, after vociferous
haggling with the dealers. Old men are
anxiousI " watching the rcpenishng OF
their darling black bottles, which, in con
junction with the democratic Sunday news.
paper, are 20 supply the customary scla-
tive recreation Of the morrow afternoon
and evening. Thieves and pickpockets,
to whom this temple of ruin and dcbauch
is common ground, here liquidate their
ilI-gottcn cash, and rub shoulders with
ill'advised but honest poverty, or weary
and ill-requited labor, seeking a solace Col
sorrow in the illusory excitement of aIco
hol.
Every now and then, when the uproa
becomes explosive aud angry, the glazec
crown Of the policeman is soon glimmer
ing in the doorway, and moniiion from
his authoritative voice warns the riotou
company that there must be limit I,
their indulgence. Though the doors ar,
never closed for an instant, the place i
reeking hot and nauseous with the fume
of spirits; the drawers on the other sid,
Of the spirit-sodden counter are pcrspir
ing in their shirt sleeves, and longing 70
the welcome stroke Of midnight, whicl
shall release them from toll as unheaIth
as to well constituted mind It would b
repulsive and disgusting. 1t is but
short relief, however, which they enioy
at one O'Clock on the morrow the door
must be opened again to the drunkart
and the thirsty wretches will flock in +,
eonsummate the holiday of the Sabbat
with intoxication--an arrangement whic
Is in accordance with the law Of the Ian
though opposed TO every law that can ber
eft mankind.
\ We leave the sseaming precincts ofth
gin shop--the gate Of misery, diseas,
destitation, crime, aud he'll. n Is now