The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1858-06-26
Throo Hours in a London Drain.

Fled Lane is now q thing Of the past That
odd-looking bower oi dangling silk banners,
beneath which u colohy of filthy Jew-fenccs
with ,illainous faces, and tat Jowesses stinted
in skirt and bare Of elbow, burrowed and
swcltercd in darkness and foul yapors, has at
length vanished. London has lost something
by the loss Of Field Lane
For more than ilye-and-twenly years nev.
or came within sight of II without struggle !,
and never passed, in all that time, It's Hol-
born outlet without iuvoluntarily quickcning
my pace until it was NJ least ffty yards in the
rear. am glad at last to see it razed to the
ground. You will hardly wonder at that il
you read what am now going TO set down.
In the Summer Of 1882 was young
blockhcad just turned twcnty-one TO be sure.
what an ass was, half fop and all fool ]
had served my time down in Suffolk Il shant
say where) and had learned my trade as
hairdresser, by dint OF seven year, practice,
tolerahly we'll At the expiration Of my APP
premiership, came up to town with all my
iortune--nhoye a hundrGd pounds-in my
pocket intending 10 ,Sce the world aud enjoy
myself before ! settled down to business.
Well, did enjoy myself, Notwithstanding.
Every thing was pleasure TO me in those
yt#ys= gTa theH, Rs To FT-aaSfaii. The tiiratres,
the dancing rooms, the lfee-and d-easies, the
shades thought them Paradise itself
nude friends with some young fellows as silly
as myself and together we lattercd ourselves
we did The thng"-and many preposterous
and scnscless thing We certainly did.
One day, having made an appointment to
dine with one of these chance acquaintance
| was proceeding in full costume along Ilol-
born toward the place of nssignaton, when Il
mop-headed, ragged urchin ran against me
and nearly tripped me up, and the next mo-
ment l discovered that had lost handkcr-
chief from. my pocket l was too green TO
suspect the little vagabond of having taken
it-besides, he had disappeared. The loss
was no,hingi it was only the trouble of pur-
chasing another. proceeded onward on the
lookout for shop, when suddenly came
upon the entrance to Field Lane, which dis
closed 20 my view thousands of handkerchief
dangling from the walls, and open windows !;
and up l walked to make my selection The
queer aspect of the place tiekled my fancy,
and amused me tnueh-the ehaiIering, squab
bling, and bawling-the coarse jokes heard
the odd faces that peeped out on all sides
the. myriads of silken spoils that huttered
around and Oloft--all struck me with an
agreeable sense of novelty, and, being in no
hurry, and thinking I might as well see the
whole of it,I wandered from end to end of the
Lane before troubling myself about the bus
mess in hand The sirens OF the place, plump
and uuctpous, paid me marked attention.
and would fain have entrapped me into a
bargain, but was callous to their compli-
ments, and held on my way Having at
length satisfied my curiosity, retraced my
steps, and entering shop at hazard, de-
manded to be shown some of the best of the
wares The shop was n sort of a shed-look-
ing chamber, which was almost emptyi the
whole of the merchandise having been trans
ferred TO the lines and poles without, where,
nv huTIg trick NV frUvTs or Il tree, ft-SJrH
| peltey obsoured the view Of what was pass
ing in the lane. The man who rose up from
behind the counter in answer to my challenge,
seemed to my first view all nose and scrubby
hair but pair Of dark-black eyes twinkled
beneath one broad bush Of brow that covered
them both, and his bristly jaw contorted with
n grin as he asked "Did yer want de vera
pest, ma tear P"
OF course wanted the best, and was not
particular as TO price.
The fellow eyed me le;surely all over as l
gave him to understand that fnuch, and no
doubt he took my measure to a hair. "Den,
will de shentleman shtep into de yareus, and
look at some vot is fust-rate P"
He opened white-washecl door at the end
OF the shop, and beckoucd mt to follow him.
l otoyed; and threading DARK, narrow
passage some few PAGES in length, was shown