St. Cloud Democrat. [volume] (Saint Cloud, Stearns County, Minn.) 1858-1866, 1860-11-29

A.. THURSDAY, ....... ~.
..55 y',.-s =: . e.. . -; -:
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 q Wilkie, could describe. -:
The evening was not cold, but the keep
er of this airless hole had lit fire in di-
lapidated stove, which seemed to- increase
the stencil that filed the place as with a
cloud. Piled on benches, packed upon
shelves, lay human eing-happily, up to
this time all men-some asleep, some glar-
ing upon us like, wild beasts; and all ap.
parently miserable. THE proprietor sat
between, the hunks, smoking his pipe and
answering 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 bodies
we're as dead as the scnsibiities they feebly
surrounded y there was a still more hide
GUS sight. u Here husbands and wives
for so let US believe them to be--lay to-
gether. A sick dog .whined in a corner,
keeping up an @unearthly yell, and making
us shudder before the. superstition that
greets such sound as the forerunner OF
death and between his agonizing wall
and the curses oee the men and women
around me, I thought for a moment that I
was in a lesser Pandemoniun. II 80 =, -,
"Gentlemen, are you satisfed?" said our
kind guardian. ::.;.. ~: III. .sa
"Yes, more than satisfied said Phil.
adelphia friend by my side, who only stuck
to me because I should have upbraided
him for his desertion. 80. -.
Following our *'star;"- in single file we
began to ascend building Of some three
or four stories, along dark entries, up creak-
ing stairs, and through gloomy passages,
until we came to room at which the Off
Ger knocked loudly. For some moments
there was no answer, but at last gruff
voice cried out: E.
"Who's there % So ...--
Gan officer" . %:. 49,. 49,:
"What do you want?'
81 want to see you. Eve got company
for YOU" *. T.. ..:..-
esThey shall not come in; they have no
business with me. Itel you Pllnot open
the, door, .:. j .. i, Ia: - + 49,
The officer turned to us, and said ::
"Here is an old customer who knows his
legal rights. l. wish l could show you his
crib; but I will not break open his door,"
On another story we had less difficulty.
At single rap the door opened, and there
stood before us negro man more hideous
in his. ugliness, and more terrible in his
appearance than I can describe. A ming
ling Of what one reads Of Fagin and Bill
Sykes combination of craft and of SEN
suaity; a brutaized idea Of "a vulgar Shy
lock and an inhuman bully --,...
"Wen, Tobe," said our guide, chow are
you to night, and how are your wives?''
"Pretty well, thank you, sir" he re-
sponded, bowling, and pointing to corner
where, on single pallet, with an unoccu.
pied space between, lay two vhite females
who had once been women, and now we're
brutes. = ..@- .:
It 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 to be cigar box slung over
his shoulder-a boy not more than five
years old. He was without father OF
mother; had been peddling his: candies
and begging his pennies since morning,
and seemed to be glad to be captured; be-
cause, all guiltless as he was, he might
thus secure resting place for the nig ght
Our officer informed us that it was no un-
common thing for children, from ten to
fourteen, to be accomplished as pickpock.
cts, and to make a business of asking
aims; but this little fellow was not of the
class. We carried him to the station
house, aud made ample compensation to
him for our Indifference, because that we
had just seen seemed to care for no human
sympathy or assistance. - ~. r.I
The lieutenant at this station kindly
threw open the doors Of the lodging rooms,
and Of the cells for prisoners taken up du.
ring the night. In one of these rooms we
counted thirteen women-homcless and
friend1ess creatures, who had there sought
shelter. Some were asleep, and those
who walked drew their shawls over their
bare heads to avoid the gaze of the visi-
tors One held in her ar ms child about
two years old, whose little pale face and
attenuated imbs indicated that the sands
OF, its life were fast running out, and that
Providence intended to rescue it from the
fate Of the poor wretches around it. =.
Outside Of the small and close cell, on
benches, were stretched other women
Not a few of their countenances showed
past beauty Of no ordinary character. The
black, glossy hair of one, her white teeth,
= = . So - : f.yG, =