Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1859-05-07
For The Vermont Phoenix.
REC0LLECTI0NS OF CITY LIFE
By DOCTOR QUoD.


A conference.-the, motley, and hungry
You can not count them by tens or fifties. but
by hundrcds You will know there character
and object at glancc.-You know that bat one
cause can bring such group together, and yet
you are puzzled to know why they happen to
meet here, in this narrow street, where the in
cessant hum Of busy and never firing machine
ry constantly greets the ear, here, where the
blessed sunlight cannot penetrate to drive away
the miasms of summer putridity melt the
SHOWS of winter; vet here they stand, the poor,
the destitute-some with baskets, Others with
pans, more with nothing but wretched apology
for a dress, in which to receive the "reef
which some benevolent association has announ-
ced will be afforded. and which. it would seem,
must be dispensed in such a manner as to cause
the receiver to curse the giyer,
Stop, do YOU not know that woe stricken
face 1t is one who lived close by your own
door, and in the sunshine of whose face YOU
were wont to read the fond expression of love
and joy-yet here, in the midst of this destitute
throng she moves, thin and pale, worn and wea-
ry. Why? ah, first came death, then sorrow,
and now has fallen the blight Of abject poverty.
Of course she had friends, but they can not re-
cognze her now, because-well YOU may easily
divine that. But see that cherub face peering
from the blast is more nominal than real How
the heart throbs with the thought that tood can
be had here, which is coldly refused by the "rich
folks in the splendid mansion, way over yon-
der, Let us follow her as she eagerly presses
her way up to the entrance of the "Relief Ofice;"
her little bare feet have forgotten to ache, and
the half frozen limbs throb with hew life, as the
thought of ''dear mother" waiting humbly on
her wretched bed crosses her mindl Oh! how
your heart swells with indignation as the burly
policeman rudely thrusts her away with the
words, "Back, you imp Of Satan!' and then
you speak kindly to her, as she slowly crosses
the street, and, sitting down on the cold stone,
awaits her turnl
All, this is one scene-perhaps of daily oc-
currence, which may be peculiar to the great
metropolis and yet there are others which con-
trast so strongly that they induce us to place
them on the same page.
a bridal. Here, tnen, must be happinessl so
says the young heart, which has not learned the
old maxim about gold that gitters.
Yes, the happy ones stand at the ALTAR and if
the ceremonies of the lac arc all that constitute
marriage, then are these two persons to become
husband and wife. If all the gewgaws and trap
pings which wealth has placed about them will
make their lives happy, then will they glide
along the troubled current of life as o'er a
smooth sea, and will dwell in perfect happiness
Let us endeavor to get peep at the recipi-
ents of such felicity. A splendid white satin
dress, surmounted by very white neck and
shoulders ncovered?-Certainly, although you
do think it is the coolest month in the year y
and snowy veil depending from the head, which
is tastefully (?) decked with orange blossoms,
represents the bride, who, you should have no
ticed, holds bouquet of flowers in her gloved
and jdweled hand. BY her side stands plain
but richly dressed young man who is soon to
call her by the sacred name of 'Cife.
On either side in great pomp, are arrayed
the friends, most of whom are dressed in satns
or silks, and appear to look upon themselves
with a wonderful degree of complacency.
With measured cadence the priest solemnly
pronounces the bond which is to unite them for
ever; and then you hear hearty kiss which the
happy man bestows upon his chosen one, and
the ceremony is over. AS they pass through
the dimly lighted aisle, and the eager throng
press upon each other to get good look at the
bride, you say to yourself that it was certainly
great sight! And so it was; but you can not
avoid the reflection as you emerge into the air,
and witness the crowd of carriages which block
up the street, that the cost of these alone would
suffice to give all those miserable creatures
whom you saw in the morning first-rate dinner;
and when YOU reflect upon the eating and drink
ing, and riotous living which generally follow
such scenes, the very heart sickens, and well it
may!
For the poor and the miserable are crying
out from hunger, and necessarily knocking at
your door, crying, "Give me bread, or l per-
ishl' In evil times, when honest men and wo-
men are suffering and starring, We have no right
to waste our income in gratifying the prompt
ings of diseased taste or foolish pride!
Lawrence Water Cure, Brattleboro, April Is,
1852
At recent trial of a case before referee, in
Delaware County, New York, the Hon. Daniel
s. Dickinson was counsel for the plaintiff, and NJ.
H, of Binghamton, for the defendant