The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1860-12-07
VcMtral aisisfti;anu.
, sol. Forney's Description OF New lork
After Duik.

NEW YORK, Oct. -, 1860.
| have been sojourning IN this vast human
hive Tor several days past, and have fulfilled
long deferred promise TO nake a tour Of
those portions of the city in which the worst
phases of poverty ard vice are to be wit
messed. The task has not been pleasant
Gre. TO see what | Lave seen, and to bear
Up in the face Of every variety o. dcsraL,-
Aation. required deal Of resolution ; but
having resolved to 20 through with it, did
not blanch or fal:er from the hour of start
ing. about o'clock last night, until, tired
AID nau>eated, reached my hotel, at > o
clock this morning, too glad to ENJOY the
necessary renovation OF 4 bath, and sleep.
refreshing, it is true, but crowded with
dreams ofthc horrid sights and scenes which
have Just passed before my eyes. Having
secured the friendly and necessary aid of two
excellent detectives attached to the admira-
bic city police, six Of us, making the whole
party eish, in all, issued fortn upon our mis-
sion.
The first place We reached was the police
station house near the Metropolitan. AS we
entered, one of those Sali trials was taking
place that are only too common in New
York. Two unfortunate girls were arraisn-
ed before the Lieutenant of police on charge
of d>orderly conduct. The lieutenant, who
acted in the double capacity Of clerk aud
Judge, first heard the story Of the officers
who had them in charge. watched this
mans cold, stony eye-hiS pale. faded face
/ and soon realized that familiarity with his
occupation had fully b;unted his sensibiIi;ies.
lie paid little attention to the painted, over
dressed creatures before him, but entered
their names aud ages on his book, and then
with a hard, metallic voice, directed the Off
Ger to take them below, lock them up, and
let them have no light. ooh, for the love OF
God" said one Of the girls, with tears in her
eyes, as she turned from the impossible lieu
tenant TO the Strange Spectators-"for the
love of God, not Lclow, not doun Mue-l
did nothing but drink little more than
ousl, to have done" Her veil was up She
had been handsome once and sweet smile
had not wholly fled from her face. Perhaps
she lad left some happy home to hide her
shame perhaps she had nobody to care tor
her. Alas ! if she is now sought, she will
be found, probably, "doun Jeior"-her for.
tune, like her cell, "dark," and her fate un-
lighted, save by the mercy Of redceming
God. Her companion was closely veied, land
followed her into the cellar prison with silen,
and trembling steps.
We turned from this rather sOrrowfll O.
pcning. got into our carriages and drove tl
the lower wards. 1t is some fifteen years
since, under an escort furnished by my ex
celent friend Ma,scll, passed along these
narrow streets and sitting alleys. There ha.
been a great change for the better. The Ole
Brewery has given way to a Mission House
and sort of home for children without pa
rents. Warehouses and granite stores art
springing up in new and crowded thorough
fares But there is yet room, heaven knows
for still greater changes. More than yea
ago gave you short experience of higl
hotel life in this city, and spoke Of the al
most exact similarity between the people of
that time.in the gorgeous saloons and sweep
ing halls of those ''steamboats ashore" ar,
the people who t'irted, fed and fattered il
the large hotels of New York, ten years be
fore. And if had net known that Deat
, lad been busy since my last nocturna! ysi
to the haunts Of lower life, gathering his hu
!, man harvest, could have almost sworn tina
the human faces and figures, the riot ant
j rags, the filth and profanity of last nigh
e were the same that had saddened and stal
d tied me before. The evening was Lowell
ore. Tier was young moon in the clea
j. sky, and the atmosphere Was soft and coo
) The close lanes were crowded with mike
a mass of men, women and children-not thos
!! that surged in and swept along Broadwa
y, but another race, probably as Indifferent ,
e Broadway as Broadway to them. Music ";
heard from almost every door glasses We,
IS clinking and above the din OF voices II
/ tones Of the genter sex were heard as II
- octave flute is heard in the full orchestra.
d Let US enter one Of these dens. First
Is the gin shop, with stout woman as the pr