Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1854-07-11
price Two Cents.
GBe 9aiIp SPY.
TUESDAY, JULY IL, 1854.
From the N. Y. Tribune.
How Do They Live .

That is question which every inquiring
eountryman puts, who.looks and thinks upon
the crowds frichly dressed people who throng
the streets of this metropolis. Its wonder,
even to the old stagers of city life, how some
men, whom they have met every day for
twenty years. on the pavement, in the best
hotels, at the theatre, ballroom, and places
Of amusement; at dinners, suppers, parties,
excursions, and all sorts OF places where mon
ey is spent for expensive luxuries, how they
live. They are not known to possess any in
come, have no wealth nor business, never did
a days work of useful labor, and yet they do
live, and dress like gentlemen, and would
probably offer to fight any one who should
insinuate they were class of useless loafers.
an incubus upon contemporaries upon the
productive class of mankind. Ifthey are not,
how do they live;
But, putting the gentleman loafer out of the
question, the class who fill some position Of
usefulness in ely life, who have the appear
ance to the countryman of passing their time
in idleness, is very large; SO much so that he
grows confused as he looks upon the vast
throng, as it goes down Broadway, about eight
or nine o'clock in the morning. in one con-
slant stream, six abreast, of well-dressed,
easy-to- do-in- world looking gentlemen,
that lie wonders how they live.
OF this great human current which flows
down the island all the morning, and up all
the evening, there is a striking RESENT lanco
in one thing-they all, with the rare excep-
ton, now and then, of real laboring man in
the crowd, look as though they never did, nor
ever intend to do any work--they are not
dressed for it. They all wear black silk hats,
calfsllin boots or patent leather CATERS, fine
cashmere pants, silk vests, broadcloth coats
and overcoats, and if there is sprinkle Of
rain, each one shelters himself under an UNI
brella, or helps to fill up the stages which are
passing up and down, at the rate of one every
five seconds. Every one looks as though he
had inst come out of the same tailor shop,
aud had been perfumed by the same barber.
How do they live? G
The countryman stands upon any part Of
Broadway, below Canal-st., and looks upon
this current of life q going to business !" for
three hours in the morning, or sees it return
ing for an equal length Of time in the evening,
without discovering from conversation or APP
pearanee that one of them ever strained a
muscle or soiled hand in any productiyein-
dustry, and he wonders how they live.
Having seen ten thousand broadcloth coats,
with silk velvet collars pass him having no.
tced that every one looked ruddy, fulfilled,
and covered with sort Of city gloss, he is
satisfied that this is one of the most healthy,
in the world, and he even seems to doubt his
own senses about its being so intolerably FL
thy, that he felt 50 disguised when he landed,
that he declared he would not live in the dir
ty hole for all its wealth. But that was when
he was fighting his way across West-st., and
up that delectable thoroughfare for steamboat
passengers, Robinson-st., or while he was
wading over Washington or Greenwich ST.,
or running the risk OF breaking his neck in
the traps Of Murray ST., or having it broken
for him by hod-full Of brick, thrown down
from the top of six story building; or while
he expected to have both legs broke by crush
of vehicles in Broadway.
lie has forgot all these hair breadth escapes,
and begins to think g New York is a great
| place TO live in, that is fact;" and still he
wonders how do they all live, and is Just con-
Guiding to go down to the merchant to whom
he consigned his butter, cheese, bacon, and
lot OF apples, and draw the proceeds of sale,
which he is sure must have been at the very
highest figures; because, Notwithstanding he
could not see how, surely all these people do
live upon the very best, and are wealthy too,
and of course don't mind paying the farmers
tip top prices.
But just then the sun had got up above the
tops of the highest houses he ever saw, all
full, too, of merchandise, artists galleries,
oNoAhSoo ohASS7s assembly IOulus, Sa~
looms, and restaurants, to restore the energies
of those who have performed the labor of
walking down town aud writing a few lines
in ledger, or selling few pieces Of calico or
bags OF coffee; and just then he is attracted
by new feature in the current of life. The
bfoadcloth Hood has gone by, and is succeeded
by bllluwy waves of the richest silks, laces,
cashmeres, velvets, pushes ribbons, feathers,
pearls, diamonds, gold and gilt (guilt) in daz-
cling splendor.
/" There, says he, "goes woman with
more money upon her back than would serve
to clothemy wife ana ten children for ten
years, aud she is fairly sweeping the street
with silk dress that cost three dollars a ward,
aud narrow at that. l wonder how she liyess
1t is evident, however, that everybody is roll
ing In wealth in New York, and all these tales
about suffering poverty are all CANNON. Oh,
4 shall get famous price for my bacon!''
so h went down to MIR. Five per cents store.
and seeing d stout looking man, dressed IN
overalls and sleeves suitable to his work, he
took him for the principal, and the four or five
elegantly dressed young gents in the store for
rather toppish country merchants, never once
supposing they were clerks, as they only
touched articles with the tips of their fingers.
"Sir, said he, to the supposed head of the
house, 81 have come down to look after that
4
last fall to sell for me-
"Arrah, now, is it me you're after with
your cheese and bacon An faith, ven be
looking long time before ye get anything Of
me in that line
Mr.. Farmer stood amazed, but one of the
elegantly dressed young gentlemen hearing
something about bacon, cheese, and butter.
thought the man wanted to buy, and stepped
up with very patronizing air, to inform him
that "they did not usually deal III those arti-
cles. The father of the present proprietor did
formerly something in that line, and few
stupid fellows in the country occasionally
trouble them with some of their greasy stuff
on consignment, but they had nothing of the
kind now, and he hoped never should have
again, it was such dirty stuff to handle. For
his part he did not see low people lived in the
country, where they made such stuff" 1t is
a mystery, certainly, to city folks. The far
mer explained his business, and was told that
he would 'shave to see the old man"
The old man proved to be gentleman about
forty years of age, seated into large morocco
cushioned chair, at a mahogany desk, in a
room covered with fine Brussels carpet, look
ing over the morning papers.
The Farmer told his name and business. and
was answered with a .sHem, let me see. ba.
con. butter, and cheese, to be sold ON commits
ion. Mr.. Goosequill, when was Mr.. Farmers
stuff received Aha, first of November.
March now four months-sold on four month";
credit-very iow-exceedingl handsome for
money-money due-don't think we have re-