Daily Democrat and news. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1859-1864, 1861-02-28

and the puOlc nina renewed OF Tue
weight which nov 90 unhappily OPP
presses it.
NEW YORK CORRESPONDENCE.
Broadsny BY Gss Light, a. seen Through Nor
slssgs SEsctscles.
Nxw Yosx. Feb 23d 1850.
When the lamps are lighted, and the
theatre goers and other pleasure seekers
throng the sidewalks, Broadway pre-
sents lively picture-a perfect carn'-
val scene which is only equaled ny tue
blaze of light, and fusion or confusion OF
scenic effects which may be found within
the walls Of those places OF popular
amusement whose portals open on the
great thoroughfare.
On one hand innumerablo gas jets
are woven into the name Of some well
known theatre or concert hall, into
which gally dressed crowds are throng-
ing, while on the other we SEQ bril-
lan,ly illuminated chop windows, in
which are displayed to the best advan-
tage costly fabrics, confectionery, or
ARTICLES de vertu" that fairly rival the
imaginings of fairy land.
The bouquet merchant in front Of Mai.
lard's does brisk business in the early
part ofthe evening. while the old fiddler
aud his little daughter may be seen not
far off trying their best to attract the At
tention and the pennies Of the passers
by. But the concert halls, in which la
ger beer, tobacco smoke and music
reigns supreme, have now become the
peculiar institutions Of Broadway, and
therefore call for particular notice.
Having entered one Of these halls, r.
ter disbursing ten or twenty cents at
the more arstocrstic places, you are
ushcrcd into large room in which may
be dimIy seen through a thick cloud OF
tobacco smoke, a crowd ofmasculine BIZ
pcds seated before small tables smoking,
drinking, and convcrsing Tin not very re-
fined language,) freely, while at the 9TH
or end the orchestra looms up occasion
ally through the fog, and during the
evening pours do,cn immense quantities
Of lager, aud pours out prOportionate
amount OF very brassy music; the ''pretty
waiter girls SO monotonousIy described
in the advertisements in the daily papers
aud who are mo better than they should
be-" and perhaps . great deal wore than
they ought to be, are very attentive to
the wants of the gentlemen, and seem to
be the most attractive part of the enter
tainment.
1T is sad, very sad," Gas Mr.. Newt
would say) to see SO many llne fo'"s
aud fair faces pursuing SO questionable a
calling.
The performances on the stage consist
principally of singing, dancing, acrobat
ic feats and tight rope walking, all OF
which is fayorably received by the au-
dience, who, after imbibing plentifully
of the gin, whisky and lager which cir
culates freely, are not in a condition to
he very Discriminating. These concert
halls arc primary schools OF vice, in
which the fast specimens OF Young New
York get their first lesson they lie on
the direct road to the gambling bells and
other rocks and quick sands upon
which fame and fortune, body and soul,
are often wrecked
Leaving the fe,id atmosphere of the
concert hall We come out again into the
purer air OF the still brilliantly ilumina-
ted street, and as gaily dressed ladies'
leaning on trustv arms of masculine
friends, pass merr;ly to and fro, we are
reminded Of the admonition of the
poet
"Oh ladies'. dear ladies, the next sunny day,
| Please trundle your hoops Just out OF Broadway,
From its glare and ITS glitter, its tnse and pride
Ard the temples Of trade which tower on each
side,
To the alleys and lanes where misfortune and
| guilt,
Their children have gathered their city have
built,
Where hunger and vice like twin beasts Of prey,
Have hunted tn cir victims to glosm and despair"
Doesn't it seem strange that those alleys
and lanes" the abodes OF vice and mis-
cry should lie SO near to all this glare
and glitter =
'But, oh, if pcrchance there should be a sphere,
Where al is made right which 70 puzzles Us hero,
Where the glare and the glitter and tnsel Of
| time,
Fade and die in the light Of that region sublime,
Where the sou discnchantcd Of flesh and Of sense,
Unscrcened by its trappngs, its shows and pre-
| tense,
Is clothed with the light and the service above,
With purity, truth, faith, meekness and love-"
why then, perhaps the charity which
We have bestowed here, (,upposing that
We are charitable as sc ought to be) will
not altogether be lost, and We may have
profitted by looking on the dark, as well
AS the bright side of the picture.
Au Rsvois,
EBENkzER SPRouT.
KIT Carson, the famous hunter, guide