Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1860-09-15

| pace i received an invitation to dance from
II young lady in pink bodice and blue
skirt, who might have been handsome if il
had not been for a squirt aud might have
been engaging if her expression had not
been damaged n little by cut ID her up.
per lip, aud a dark puff under the left eye
She compromised foe my refusal, however,
IN a pot Of half and.half and found amends
Tor the disappointment by obtaining a sail
or Tor a partner, whose head was covered
all over with red ringlets, aud whose wealth.
erbeaten countenauce looked like the map
OF the world. 1t was curious to observe
the sublime indifference with which the sail
orS who were present in these places treat
ed our prcseuce. They did not notice us
at all or seem in any way to recognize the
fact that we were there, bnt went on dane.
ing and drinking, aud talking to their dox
les, as if they were IN their own peculiar
paradise, where every Object figured at a
disadvantageeus comparison with them
selves. .s l.-|
The entire of this region was filed with
oyster-stands, and tables for the sale of
Holsters, crabs, shriinps & bloodpuddings
and at short intervals we find the highway
made vocal by hallad.singprs, who with
one hand beside their faces to enable them
to roar with facility, and the other full of
penny ballads, wEuld dole the Loss of the
Albion My charming Money! and other
refreshing ditties of that sort. ...- ...
In this region was also class of up
stairs rooms, freqnented by men and wo.
men of the viIest character, which furnish
music in sort of free and easy style.
When we entered one Of them, a female
and sometimes two, wo ud set up a senti
mental song, and then be succeeded by q
man kept for the purpose of comic singing,
One OF these fellows was a rare genils, and
though a Ii,tle shaky from the hard service
and long career Of gin, he sang more hu
morousIy than ever heard any one sing
before. He continually reminded me Of
my notions of the face of Lstou. His
grimmaces were abundant beyond descrip.
tion bis face seemed to unfold and, take
new shapes as naturally as Chinese light,
! and as tor his mouth. it was mace up-of
tucks aud hounces that produced continual
revelations and seemed 10 be capable Of as
yoluminious "A history as the Acts Of the
Apostles. While | was standing lost in
admiration Of this human hydrangea.
felt another light twitch at my coat skirts,
something like the stroke of a trout and
turning sharply, discovered directly behind
me a young woman in open straw bonnet,
just folding her hands demurely across her
bosom, and composing her features after
failure. raised my hat. aud regretted
she had found nothing in that quarter wor-
thy Of her attention, .npon which | could
see litter run the round of her acquaint-
ances at her discontinue The young wo.
man denied the soft impeachment where
upon l borrowed a shilling from our trea-
surer TO heal her luceraled feelings A
few coppers thrown upon the floor rompen-
sated the gentleman with the flexible face,
and we retired to our coaches, and changed
our region 10 that of the Thieves Kitchen )
Some of my readers may perhaps recol-
lect the publication Of a descent by the
London police upon that den some lime ago,
in consequence of development having
been made, that it was a sort of college or
academy, where children were taught. the
art of theft, aud prepared for the degrees
of houSe-breaking and OF murder. Atten
tion had been specially attracted through
the arrest of several juvenile thieves of both
sexes, who described how they had been
decoycd from their parents into this dea by
an old Jew, or modern Fagin, aud practi,
ced in the ways of pilferiug for his profit.
Iu return for their work, he corrupted their
appetics for drink, and furnished them
with the means Of sexual license that made
them soon unit for any other sort of life.
| When the police made decent upon this
place they found all the gymnasia of ro-
query in operation for juvenile tuition, and
at the very moment OF their entrance, these
young pupils for the gallows were practi.
| sing at the skirts Of Goals, hung loosely
upUu clothes lines, iu order to earn rewards
from their preceptors, for taking purse or
handkerchief from the pockets without
shaking the line or disturbing the littl,
bells tha. were attached to the ends of the
garment. There were great number o
experienced old thieves residing in this der
at the time Of the descent, as we'll as child
rem, and indignat at the proclamation of thi
sanctuary of their arts, they gave battle
to the Invader, and after severe contest
succeeded in rescuing some of the child
ren, ann in beating the officers Of, A re
enforcement of authority was, however
soon obtained, and the den ranSacked O
its professors and its pupils. Al the time
of our visit it was comparatively quiet, anc
we we're received by only FIVE or six gentle
men of the skirt, who preserved a very
quiet demeanor Though shorn of thei
numbers, and reduced in strength, they
showed, however, that they were conscious
of their standing for they did not cJnde
scend to any civlity during our stay, apC
regarded us all the time with a sort o
sullen defiance. There was but one relic
from this behavior and that was in til
shape of little jocose sarcasm between
little fellow with black thatch over hi
eve, and little ferret-eyed chap, wit
humpy body, and pair Of thin legs, whic
he seemed 10 have picked up 10 a burr.
aud clapped on for the purpose of aigh
when his own were out of the way.
i say, Tommy said the fellow with Il
thatch, pulling out his pipe and sendr
out a long Whit of smoke i say Tor
my, the Queen gives ball tonight, b
lieve p Yes replied the owner of Il
legs, nursing one Of them with en- artist
cratic repose yes. i saw her Majesty ia
morning, aud she hoped'I would be pre-
4 II NaNH