Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1853-09-13
NO. 81


originate. in the fact universally known, that
the poor arc ever rcady 10 help the distressed,
and il is true beyond > doubt, that the unstls-
pecting bcnevolence of the lower and laboTinr
ranks has given rise TO Il thousand devices Of
unbluslinS fraud which makes 4 prey OF their
charitable tendencies.
1t is now growing late; eleven o'clock has
struck the throae, though it has not decreas-
| ed III numbers, has been for the last hour
/. gradually changing in character. The middle
class. housewives who make good use Of this
market. and the more respectable order of
( working men ard women, have nearly all left
the SPOT, and their places are filled by a lower
( grade Ut the population. Too MARY of these,
alas are In 4 state of serri-intcxication, some
having been draEged forth ty their wives
! from the public houses, and it seems very
/ problematical whether thet haze sense enough.
! if they have money enough, without the aid
| of the women, to make a prudent provision for
| the morrow. Some, of tile more respectable
shop keepers begin to make demonstrations Of
closing for the night goods that hive lain all
/ day on the parel1ene arc silently r5oved into
the interior gilded mirrors arc yelled in
canvas shrouds; the faring gas is turned par
TALLY down to modest light; and one after
another the dealers in heavy articles close up
their huge shop fronts, and wind up the traffic
of the week.
But now the slop-seller, the shoe shop, the
butcher, grocer baker, vegetable dealer, and
general provision merchants are buster than
ever There is hardly an hour to elapse before
midnight, and thousands of customers have
yet to be supplied. The ceremony of bargain
ing now becomes marveously abbreviated;
there is little time for Judgment 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 clamor around the street stalls
in the Marsh is Ccaseless and deafening. The
little ragged urchin IS still roaring, buy my
last bunch of onions, having sold n dozen last
punches within the last two hours The TIM
man has got rid of the major part of his pots
and kettles, and, being by this time half ine-
briated, is offering the remainder at price
plainly unremuEeratiye.
The earthenware and crocl1ery, which two
hours ago was a goody pile, has nearly all
walked off the grpund, and the whole stock
has dwindled down TO a few mugs and jugs,
brown glazed pans and baking Dishes most of
which are in the hands ofintendng purchasers,
and undergoing certain violent applications of
the fist and knuckles, calculated to test their
soundness and integrity The roor flower sell
Ter has parted with most OF her nosegavs, but
still sits with her pale and withered face among
the ruddy wall flowers, with a ball of thread
in her lap with which she is Quietly tying up
more halpenny bUnches. The weaver of
toasting forks has disappeared it is to be hoped
with the Iheans of buying something to toast
for himself The tirc-screcn carver has follow
ed i'll the same track
But there Is one species of commerce, Of
which, rcpusive as it is in its aspect, we must
take momentarv view, for it excels all others
IL the rapility Of its consuumation. The
commerce We a}lUle to is that carried on at
the gin shop, where men and women, boys and
girls, and even children, barter their health
and their reason for the stimulus of a brief eX-
element. Let us look in at one of these
painted and gildcd denS. The interior Is gilt
tering aloft with crystal and FURNISHED brass
whist tits crammed below with rags, vice, and
demorallzation. Here, in a corner, drunkard
without Il shirt, n snoring mass Of filth and
squalor, IS sleeping himsetsober after debauch
wretched women, begrimcd with dirt and taw-
dry tinery, and clamorous for the Intoxicating
draught that browns reflection. Fighting men
are groaning out broad ribald jokes, and, al
ready half inebriated, are anticipating the de-
lights Of a fray.
Working mems wives with their provision
laden baskets on their arms, are luxuriating-
alas that it should be so-over the weekly
dram, the price of which they have rescued
from the spare allowance of market money af-
ter vocierous haggiing with the dealers. Old
men are anxiously watching Tie replenishing
Of their darling blacE-bottes which in con
junction with the democratic Sunday newspa-
per, are to supply the customary sedative re-
creation of the morrow afternoon and evening.
Thieves and Fickpockets, to whom this temple
of ruin and debauch is common ground, here
liquidate their illgotten cash, and rub shoulders
with ill-advised but honest poverty, or weary
and ill-requited labor, seeking solace for sor-
row in the illusory excitement of alcohol.
Every now and then, when the hproar be
comes explosive and angry, the glazen crown
of the policeman is seen glimmering in the
doorway, and a monition from his authoritative
voice warns the riotous company that there
must be limit to their indulgence Though
the doors are never closed for an instant, the
place is recking hot and nauseous with the
fumes of spirits: the drawers on the other side
of the spIrit-soddcn counter are perspirin@ in
their sleeves, and longing for the welcome
stroke of midnight, which shall release them
from a toll as unhealthy as to q well constituted
mind it would be erepulsive and disgusting. 1t
is but a short relief, however, which they en-
joy; at one o'clock on the morrow the doors
must be opened again TO the drunkard, and
the thirsty wretches will flock in 10 lponsum-
mate the holiday of the Sabbath with intoxi-
cation-an arrangement whichis in accordance
with the law of the land, though opposed to
every law that can benefit mankind.
We leave the steaning precincts of the gin
shop, the gate of misery, disease, destiutiou,
crime, and he'll. 1t Is now quarter to twelve
O'Clock, when there is a sudden and uproarous
disagreement from some of the theatres. An
exciting and demoralizng drama has been per
formed for the last five hours for the especial
/ delectation of the lower and middle Glass youth
OF the neighborhood, who now in dense swarn1s
are streaming forth and rushing with eager
haste to gin shop and public house, in the
I hope of quenching their burning thirst ere the
doors are closed against them. In effecting