Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1860-11-22
&dftorlal Correspondence of the Philadelphia Press
New York After Dark.

have been soIournlng IN this vast human
hive for several days past, and have fulfilled
long-deferred promise to make tour OF those
portions of the city in which the worst phrases
Of poverty and vice arc to be witnessed. The
task has not been pleasant one. 10 sec what
have seen, and to bear up in the face Of every
variety Of degradation, required q deal of reso-
luton but having resolved to go through with
1t, did not blanoh or faltcr from the hour Of
starting, about 80 clock, last night, until tired
and nauseatcd, reached my hotel at 2 O'Clock
this morning, too glad to enjoy the necessary
renovation Of q bath, and sleep, refreshing, it
is true, but crowded with dreams of the horrld
sights and scenes which have just passed before
my eyes. Having secured the friendly and
accessory aid of two excellent detectives attach
ed to the admirable city police, six Of us. max
ing the whole party eight in all, issued forth
upon our mission. The first place we reached
was the police station-h0use near the Motropo-
Titan. As we entered, one Of those sad trials
was taking place that ere only too common in
New York. Two unfortunate girls were ar
raigned before the lieutenant Of police on Il
charge Of di5ordorly conduct. The lieutenant
who acted in the double capacity Of clerk and
Judge, first heard the story Of the officers who
had them nl charge. watched this man s
oold stony oye-hia pale faded (aco-aal soon
realized that familiarity with his occupation
had wholly blunted lis oonaibilitios. lie paid
little attention to tho defence Of the painted
over dressed creatures before him, but entered
their names and ages on his book, and then,
with hard, metallic voice, directed the officer
to take them below, lock them up, and let them
have no light. d" Oh, for tho love Of God, ;"
said one Of the girls, tears in her eyes, as shc
turned from the impaa9lblo lieutenant to the
strange spectatcra-'' for the love OF God, not
beloW, not down Mcrc--I have done nothing but
drink little more than ought to have done :"
Hor veil was up. She had been handsome once ;
and a sweet smile lad not wholly lied from her
face. Perhaps she had loft soma happy home
to hide her shame perhaps some aching heart
was breaking for her, far away; perhaps shc
had nobody to care for her. Alas if she is
now sought, she viii be found probably, L" dopn
bclOw her fortune, like her coll " dark, /" and
her fate unlghtcd, save by the mercy ofaro.
deeming God. Her companion was closely veil
ed, and followed her into the cellar prison with
EiIcnt and trembling steps.
We turned from this rather aorrowful open
ing. got into our carriages and drove to the lowe
er wards. II is some fifteen years since bndeR
an escort furnished by my excellent friend Mat
sell, passed along these narrow streets and
sitting alleys. There has been great change
for the better, The Old Brewery has given
way to q Mission House and sort OF home for
children without parents, Warehouses and
granite stores are epringing up i'll new and
crowded thoroughfares But there is yet room,
Heaven knows, for still greater changes. More
than year ago gave you q short experience
Of high hotel life in this city, and spoke Of the
almost exact similarity between the people of
that time, in the gorgeous saloons and sweeping
halls of those " steamboats, ashore" and tho
people who Arted, fed and dAttorod in the large
hotels of New York, ten years before. And if
| had not known that Death had been busy
since my last nocturnal visit to the haunts of
lower life, gathering his human harvest, could
have almost have sworn that the faces and fig
urcs, the riot and rags, The filth and profanity
of last night were the same that had saddened
aud startled me before. The evening was a
lovely one. There was young moon in q clear
sky, and the atmosphere was soft and cool. The
close lanes were crowded with mixed mass Of
men, women and chidren-not those that surg
ed in and swept along Broadway, bat other race
probably as Indifferent to Broadway as Broad
way to them. Music was heard (ron almost
every door glasses were clinking; and above
tbs lin of voices the tones of the gentler sex
were heard as the octave flute is heard in the
fall orchestra
Let W enter one Of these dens. First is tht
guslop 18th a stout woman as the presiding
DIVINITY, who weIc lmes US with no pleasant ali
but who does not refuse admission when sh
SaYa tho protecting IS stars that shine BENG
nantly at our side, Next, tho bail room No
q bad copy Of other saloons with more prctcn
lions. At the cXtreme end is a balcony, or bo
in which are violin, q ciarIonet and lile
each with bIoatod fac, behind it, and the tri
are pr0ducinga sort Of Il drunken c0tiiiion