Kenosha tribune and telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1855-1855, 1855-03-22
From Graham's Magazine, for March.
KIT
BY CAROLINE cHEsEBRo'.


Alley Number Ten is a heathenish. OBJ
scule place, undesgnated probably even by
lines breadth on the city map. 1t is a
place unyisitcd by those who go out sight
seeing, but sights are 10 be seen there,
among these, ruins-ruiNs OF living spirit
and dead matter ruins varied III form,
style, and significance, which invite the no
tice of the Christian rather than that
of the antiquary. The psychologist and
the physiognomist both. might find a field
well worthy their exploration here-and the
political economist some problems for solu-
tiOn--the saint, place for labor, prayer,
and fasting-the sinner, voices both OF warn
ing and exposition.
Strong poisons are in active operation
here whose virulence and ravages are I'M
exec eded elsewhere. What antidotes are
proffered? No Slave ships hold, no in
Qusitorial dungeon, no convict mine, where
horrors are accumulated with design where
darkness, disease, and the tumult of una
vailing effort after dcliyerance from their
bondage are rife, can afford more sgHifi-
cant spectacle to the eyes Of the phiIanthro-
pist than this city Avenue. No savage IS
land far away in mid ocean, where the peo-
pie are 'endaming themselves with idols
under every green tree, is in greater need
of evangelizing influence than The popula-
ton of this narrow, swarmng alley.
1t is the dominion Of absolu'ism-and
Want is the king. AMI desperation the one
law in force. You may so there in search
of brute men, and brute-wnmen, and child
hood so monstrous rs to horrify you beyond
shuddering emotion, and YOU will surely
fin 1.-The sight and sensation Won seek. These
people never forget that tley are cold and
hungry while they can think on any sub
iect But they Gni deliyeranco from lho't;
they find it in Drunkenness, aad therefore
they are druuAards.
There is wrong sonlewhcre-ifwcm may
no! bring the charge, We can adduce the
proof Of guilt--thcro is something that we
call sin here, sin Of commission, we cannot
dress il up and disguise it. There are hu-
man forms, AMI ii Jhcr features are hidden,
the bodies, in motion, viii betray the spirit
that lives within. Rum goes further than
Il crust of bread toward dppca>ing the de-
mands Of natures which have been so per-
ver'cl from destined purposes ana uses Is
theirs. Alas for them, or Tor us they know
so much rs this.
The fiery drau sht shrivels from memory,
il burns oft Of mail The doom daily reter-
ated, the facts daily recorded against them.
1t is in shops on the corner that tEcy kill
care Ani would YOU know the security
they rive for loan OF the murderous wca-
pom? or the paper money that Is current
there? Il is the tract or Bible That was
placed in the trembling hand Of the wletch,
;who bar,ers it for forEe.falneSS, by the com
passionate mortal who has learned the grea;
fac: of the gospels worth but not likewise
the lie of the fact, nor that relief of the bo-
dy's wants must proceed s.uIy OF the
souls needs.
Lie in It's main, obvious facts is the same
here as elsewhere Very frequent are births
and deaths in alley Number Ten. the 10
Hest, sweetest names spoken in church, or
by the ireside, are uttered here. These
coarse lips utters them-this foul air echoes
them. But in the dialect their is a differ
ence-tEere is difference in the denunci-
alton too-and in the significance attaching
10 the words.
The sacred names of child ana mother,
of home, and day ana night. arc spoken
"
they in this place, where the sun shines but
one hour in the twenty -four. where there is
continual discord, gloom, filth, and polu-
ton? What facts do they announce? Holy
eyes brimful OF purity, sweet dreams, and
heaven? Do they suggest thoughts OF I'M
wearying watchfulness, devotion, prayer,
and joyful pride, and hopes exultant? OF
tranquility, security, rest and abundance?
Sunshine, pleasant expectations and sue
cessful laborS? OF gatherings round TIE
happy hreslde, the interchange of feelings,
thoughts and plans? OF sleep, and fairy
dreams, and happy wakings? Is the little
child. the helpless, the unpoiuted, the in
nOcent, an image of purity in whom hone
nestles, and over whom prophecy hovets;
is it this beauty, this my stery; is it to any
eve, to any thought an angel? Is there
anything irresistibly contagious in lis mirtf
infectious in its laughter, exultant in the
light Of It's eve? Does lis presence purify
exalt, ennoble any heart of lis own house
hoIl-or is it only a mouth to be fed, go
dy 70 DO clothed, an addition to the weigh;
already so beayv?-0r, what is the child 5
iho'heI' happy playmate. or wise teach
e. OF ncavenward guide? LOOK, what eri
uehce una YOU that She is either, that auv
sP1rt from The heaven above ar any aid
from the earth beneath inspjres her te be
either? Our homes to Us are. Loat.'.r or
they may be, If we will have them 50. h,'
we are of different race-are We 'rat9 a.
least we feel. and live on ui>tinc,ion f,lsa
strange and terrible as this. Bu-:hev Nav,
no home. no heaven. Impurj AMI mo,
comtOrtleSS shelter evil in lis lowest mo-,
degraded forms, not such as We wink at,
and smile upon. and fatter. and sustain,