The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1860-12-05

say, if they were fit to tell. they would hot
b. believed, familiarly notorious as they
are here. In one Of these dens, where gin
was not prohibited, l saw child of not
more than six. years, stupid with rum-its
eyes half closed in drunkenness, and its lit
tie face bloated. For Gods sake, give
Inc some air" said one of our party. - |
cannot stand this moment longer"
Wait, oh. over-delicate and squeami,h
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 policeman,
is the resort of those who get gin at cent
a glass, Enter ?" Gracious God and
are these thy creatures Ranged on bench
es 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 a monkey They glare at you with
meaningless eye; they gihher through
trembling aud quivering lips, and ;ry 70
arres, YOU with weak hands as you pass
IL the, converse with each other, it is like
conversation with baboons.
This said our guide, touching the
shoulder OF man who, with his hands 10
his pockets. vacantly gazed upon us, . is Il
geo mechanic, who can earn good wages
If he choses but every now a..d then he
breaks out into fro.ic, aud here is the
place he GENES to spend his leisure in. Il
am sorry, Bcn," he said, turning to the
man, to ste you here again" The poor
fellow bowed his head and left the den
As it was growing late, We we're invited
BY our escort to look at some Ct the lodg-
ing rooms iii the neighborhood With Ian
tern in hand. which served to make his
- star visible, and to show the way to
ricket.y stairs, we descended into deep
cellar On opening the door, there steamed
up such II stencil as made us recoil as be.
fore blow. creating indescribabe sensa-
tions-brea,hius. it mi ght be, infectious
disease
The first sight that met our eyes was a
baby, calmly asleep in its cradle. watched
over by blear-eyed and drunken mother
who greeted us with laugh. and pointed
to the inner chamber. where was sight
that only the pen of Dickens, or the pencil
of Wikie, could describe
The evening was not cold, but the keep
er Of this airless hole had lit a fire in u d.
lapidated stove, which seemed to increase
the stencil that flied the place as with a
cloud. Piled Oh benches, packed upon
shelves, lay human beiDgs-happiiy, up to
this time all men-some asleep, some glar-
ing upon us like wild beasts, and all appar-
emily miserable. Tue proprietor sat be-
tween the hunks, smoking his pipe and an-
swering questions.
In another of these catacombs (for so
they may we'll be called; the living bodies
exhaling an odor as putrid as if the bod
les were rs dead as the sensibilites thcy
feebly suIrounded,) there was still mere
hideous sight. Here husbands and wives
for so let us believe them to be--lay to-
gether. A sick dog whined in the corner,
keeping up an unearthly yell, and making
US shudder before the superstition that
greets such a sound as the forerunner o!
death aud between his agonizing wall and
the curses of the men and women around
inc, though, for moment that | WAS in Il
lesser Pandemonlum
Gentlemen, are you satisfied - said
our kind guardian.
"tes. more than satisfied said Phila-
delphia friend by nay side, who only stuck
to me because should have upbtaided him
for his desertion
Following our e. star in single file we
began to ascend building Of somc three
or four stories, along dark entries, UP
creakiDg stairs, and through gloomy passa-
ges, until We came to a room at which the
officer knocked loudly. For some moments
there was no answer, but at last gruff
voice cried out ;
Who's there p
San officer"
" " hat do you want
g want 70 see you I've got company
for You "
They shall nor come III they have no
business with me. | tell you LII lot open
the door
The officer turned to Us. and said ;
" Here is an old customer who krowS his
legal rights | wish | could show you
his crib; bat | will hot break open his
door,
On another story We had less difficulty
AT single rap the door opened. and there
sIood before Us 6 negro more hiieous in
his ug'lnc>s more terrible in appearance
than can describe \ miDgliug Of what
one reads of Fagn aud Bill Sykes; com,
bination os craft AID of Sensuaity; a bra
talized idea Of a vulgar Shylcck and All in-
human bully.
well, Tobe, said our guide, % bow
are you tonight. ard how are your wives ,''
Pretty we'll. thank you, sir" he rc>pon
ded. bowing, and pointing to a corner, where
on single pallet. with an unoccupied space
between them lay two rhite females, who
had once been women. and now were
brutes
1t was now verging upon the small
hours. and We turned our attention to the
station house of another ward On our
way the officer picked up little boy. with
what seemed 10 be cigar box slung ovel
his ~nn,rl2or-a h,r NOT ,n.ra tb.,, So