Mariposa Democrat., 1857-07-16
From the N. Y Sunday Times.
Sidewalk and Corner GIimpses.
AFTER MIDNIGHT .

/
ner. and condition as the Chinese and the
Choctaws. One of these communities is new
er seen by daylight, nor does it show itself in
bulk even by gasght, until that light has
been shut off from reputable evening haunts.
1t is after midnight Let us take stroll
through Broadway, which seems to have been
suddenly depopulated.
Passing the petty thieves, the garroters, the
homeless and hopeles inebriates, the young
men who have lewd laisons, and others whose
hours for seeking business pleasures, relief
from mental suffering, or exercise and free
dom in the open air are a. after midnight let
us 20 to the next corner, where the spectral fig
ure leans against the lamp-post.
1t is the figure of woman, and bark! the
bell of Trinity marks the hour Of three. What
can she want in the street at this hour? She
is not without shelter if she will 60 to it, for
her dress bespeaks the possession of pecunary
means But now that we approach her very
closely, and bring critical eye on her, we per-
ceive that her costly bonnet is awry, that her
fixed optics are bood-shotten, that her lips are
black and frothy, and her check ghastly pale
as pale as marble. What is she trying TO
mutter? prayer, for the tones of her voice
are reverentia, and we catch the name Of the
Deity at intervals.
"Woman, are you i'll ?"
No answer We take her by the arm, but
W Ill. bor
ay, rudely, and address her in tone neither
complimentary nor respectful. That rouses
her.
"Lcave me- and go about your businessl
she says, with hollow voice.
"But," VIC demonstrate, "you appear to be
in Distress
"Pass on, and do not notice it. "
Believing her to belong to an unfortunate
class the members of which frequently indulge
in strong drink in order to Danish, temporarily,
the remembrance Of the cravings Of "the
worm that never dies, we are about to 60,
when with gasp she sinks upon the pave
ment.
"What ho Policel"
An old patrolman gets to be as hardened to
human suffering as dspensary physician
He becomes so used to the after-midnight"
phantasmagora of the highways and byways,
that what appears mortally distressing to the
unsophistcated in such affairs have, to his eye
and heart, the semblance Of matters-ofcourse
"What's this woman up to now?" says the
policeman, twiring his club as if he would like
to belabor her PROSTATE form with it; she's
tormented me for month"
"What, and who is sheP"
"Ohl she's respectable woman"
"And out in this plight, and at this timer"
"She's got husband" Here the police
man raises her from the ground, and supports
her with his arm lie winks with peculiar
expression when he says she is a wife. He
continues:
"You see that tall and bright-looking house
Just in the middle of the block? Well, her
husbands there"
"Why don't she go to him?"
"Ah that's exactly what she mustn't do. |
have to watch her closely to keep her from 60.
ing into that house. Her husband lodges there
altogether now; but he gives her plenty of
money, and is willing to let her go where she
pleases, and enjoy herselfin her own way, and
| m sure that ought to satisfy any reasonable
woman"
! She rises and calls for Edward.
"Eles with the other one, madam, and you
will never get him away from her. I've told
you so before. Why don't you stay at homer"
"Homel" Oh, the depth of misery and
meaning in that one short word, as with eyes
turned desparingy to heaven, this woman
utters it.
These events tell by no means an unfrequent
story-the principal actors in it are an aban-
doned and crazed wife; an infatuated, faith
less, and perjured husband; and designing
beautiful, marble-hearted wanton.
"If you come botherin' any more, I'll have
to take you to the station" says the police
man, as the womans pale features suddenly
become flushed, and she clutches desperately
at her chest. See, she tears her clothing to
TlupauuS. NOW, neT tlOItS CeaSe-ucT huioS
relax-her face is no longer convulsed and dis
torted
"My God what's the matter?" exclaims
the policeman. as he feels her unreserved
weight upon his arm.
Let us look at her again. 1t is all over
She is dead!
A bottle labelled laudanum, found in her
pocket, sufficiently explains the cause of her
decease.
The policeman calls hack, which stands at
the opposite side of the street waiting for
stragglers, the body is placed inside, he mounts
the box with the driver, and all that is mortal
of the abandoned wife is conveyed to the sta
tion-house. Are the Mormons the only ones
who practice polygamy in the United States?
City life You know nothing about it,
reader, if you have never taken a stroll in the
streets after midnight