Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1860-11-22

submit to the most lnhuman brutalities;
and how, in utter desperation more than
one finds peace in an early grave. willing
victim to the vice she has labored to re-
sist, or to that longing for death which is
grati6ed by poison or. the knife. But L
will not repeat these details, for, sooth to
say. If they were fit to tell. they would not
be believed. familiarly notorious as they
are here. In one of those dens, where gin
was not prohibited. saw child of not
more than six years. stupid with rum
its eyes half closed in drunkenness. aud
its little face bloatedl 'For Gods sake,
give me some air. said one Of our party,
II cannot stand this moment longer"
Wait. oh. over delicate and squeamish
friend! You will cry for "air" presently
with sincerer zeal We are as yet only
in the vestibule of the mysteries. What
we have to see lies farther on in the night
Be patient, and DO not let thy gorge rise
too soon.
"Stoop here. and take care Of your
watches" ''This," said our kind police
man, is the resort of those who get gin at
a cent glass! Enterl" Gracious Godl
and are these thy creatures? Ranged on
benches. in narrow cave. are the victims
Of this internal traffic. They are all worse
than idiots. There is not one of them
who has intelligence enough to contend
for equality with monkey. They glare
at you with meaningless eye; they gibber
through trembling and quivcring lips, and
try to arrest you with weak hands as you
pass. Ifthey converse with each other, it
is like conversation with baboons.
"This," said our guide, touching the
shoulder Of a man who, with his hands in
his pockets, vacantly gazeJ upon us, "is a
good mechanic, who can earn good
wages if he chooses, but every now and
then he breaks out into frolic, and here
is the place he comes tn spend his leisure
in. l am sorry, Bcn," he said, turning
to the man. Ito see you here AGAIN.
The poor fellow bowed his head and left
the den. .....t.Issaf
AS it was growing late, we were invited
by our escort to look at some Of the lodg-
ing rooms in the neighborhood. With
lantern in hand, which served to make his
''star" visible, anil to show the way to
ricketty stairs. we descended into deep
cellar. On opening the door, there steam
ed up such n stencil as made rs recoil as
before blow, creating indescribable sensa-
tions-breathing. it might be, infectious
disease.
| The first sight that met our eyes was a
baby, calmly asleep in its cradle, watched
over by blear-cycd and drunken mother,
who greeted us with a laugh, and pointed
to the inner chamber. whero was sight
that only the pen of Dickens. or the pencil
ofa Wilkic. could describe. g9-.
The evening was not cold, but the keep
er Of this airless hole had Lit fire in q d.
lapi,lateh stove, which seemed to increase
the stencil that filed the place as with a
cloud. Piled on benches, packed upon
shelves. lay human happily, up to
this time all men-some asleep, some glar-
ing upon MS like wild beasts, and all ap-
lparently miserable. The proprietor sat
between the hunks, smoking his pipe and
answering questions.
In another of these catacombs flor so
they may be called; the living bodies cx-
haling an odor as putrid rs If the bodies
were as dead as the scnsibilitics they feeb-
~ surrounded, there was still more hid
oous sight. Here husbands and wives
for so let us believe them to be-lay to-
gether. A sick dog whincd in corner,
keeping up an unearthly yell. and making
us shudder before the superstition that
greets such sound as the forcrunner OF
death; and between his agonizing wall and
the curses of the men and women arount;
me, thought for a moment that was in
lesser Pandemonium.
Gentlemen. are You satisfed?" said
our kind guardian.
eyes. moro than satisfied" said a Phil
adelphia friend by my side. who only stuck
to me because should have upbraideL
him for his desertion.
Following our "star." in single file we
began to ascend building of some three
or four stories. along dark entries, up
creaking stairs. and through gloomy pas
sages, until we came to q room at which
the officer knocked loudly. For some mo-
ments there was no answer. but at last a
gruff voice cried ont: -
''Who's thcre?"
"An officer"
"What do you want?'
al want to see you. I've got company
for you"
"They shall not come in; they have 10
business with me. tell you 1ll not open
the door,"
The officer turned to MS, and said:-
"Here is an old customer who knows his
legal rights. / wish I could show Won
his crib; but I will not break open his
door,"
On another story we had less difficulty.
Alta single rapt tn, door opened. and there
stood negro more hideous in his ugliness
and more terrible in his appearance than
can describe. A mingling of what one
reads of Fagin and Bill Sykes; a combi-
nation of craft and of sensuality; brutal
lied idea ofa vulgar Shylock and an inhu-
man bully.
"Well. Tobe." said our guide. chow
are you to might. and how are your wives?''
pretty well. thank You. sir" he res
ponded, bowing. and pointing to corner,
whore, on a single pallet. with an unoccu-
pied space between, lay two white females.
who had once been women. and now were
1t was now verging upon the small
hours and wa f,xsnod our .tfocx;o.x - xho