Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1861-04-18

ter desperation, more than one finds peace in an
early grave, and willing victim to the vice she
labored to resist, or to that longing for death
which is gratitied by poison or the knife. But
will not repeat these details for sooth to say,
II they were fit to tell, they would not be be-
lievcd, famiarly notorious as they are here.
In one of these dens, where gin was not pro-
hibited, saw child, of not more than six
years, stupid with rum-.its eyes half closed in
drunkenness, and its little face bloatcd "For
Gods sake, give me some air." said one of our
party, 81 cannot stand this moment longer"
Wait, oh over-delicate and squeamish friend
You will cry for "air" presently with a sincerer
zeal. We are yet only in the vestibule of these
mysteries. What we have TO see lies father on
in the night. Be.patient, and do not let thy
gorge rise too soon.
'Stop here, and take care of your Watches"
"This," said our kind policeman, sis the resort
OF those who get gin at cent glass! Enter"
Gracious God and are these thy creatures /?
Ranged on benches 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 gibber through
trembling and quivering lips, and try to arrest
you with weak hands as you pass. If they con-
verse Wlln pucn OtUpG, IL 10 llhc Il CODNtISuIlOH
between baboons.
"This," said our guide touching the shoulder
of man who, with his hands in his pockets,
vacantly gazed upon us,) sis good mechanic,
who can earn good wages if he chooses, but
every now and then he breaks out into frolic,
and here is the place he comes to spend his
leisure in. | am sorry, Ben," he said, turning
to the man, "to see you here again." The poor
fellow bowed his head and left the den.
As it was growing late, we were invited by
our escort to look at some OF the lodging rooms
in the neighborhood. With lantern in hand,
which served to make his "star" visible, and to
show the way to rickety stairs, we descended
into deep cellar. On opening the door, there
streamed up such a stencil as made us recoi as
before blow, creating indiscribable sensations
breathing, it might be, infectious disease.
The first sight that met our eyes was baby,
calmly asleep in its cradle, watched over by a
blear-eyed and drunken mother, who greeted
us with a laugh, and pointed to the inner cham
ber, where was sight that only the pen of
Dickens, or the pencil of Wilkie, could de-
scribe.
The evening was not cold, but the keeper of
this arless hole had lit a fire in a dilapidated
stove, which seemed to increase the stencil that
filled the place as with cloud. Piled on ben
ches, packed upon shelves, lay human beings
happily. up to this time, all men--some asleep,
some glaring upon us like the wild beasts, and
all apparently miserable. The proprietor sat
between the hunks, smoking his pipe and
answering questions.
In another of these catacombs (for so they
may well be called, the living bodies exhaling an
odor as putrid as if the bodies were as dead as
the sensibilities they surrounded,) there was a
still more hideous sight. Here husbands and
wives-for so let us believe them to be-lay to-
gether. A sick dog whined in corner, keep
ing 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 of the men around
me, / thought for moment, that was in les
ser Pandemonium.
"Gentlemen, are you satisfied? P" said our kind
guardian.
"Yes, more than satisfied" said Philadel-
phia friend by my side, who only stuck to me
because | should have upbraided him for his de-
sertion.
Following our ''star," in single file we began
to ascend building of some three or foul
stories, along dark entries, up cracking stairs
and through gloomy passages, until we came tC
a room at which the officer knocked loudly
For some moments there was no answer, but a
last gruff voice cried out,
"Who's thereP"
"An officer"
"What do you want?"
81 want to see you. I've got company fol
you"
"'rhey shall rot come in; you have no busi
ness with me. | tell you III not open the door
The officer turned to us and said "Here il
an old customer who knows his legal rights.
wish | could show you his crib; but | will moi
break open his door"
On another story we had less difficulty. A
a single rap the door opened, and there stoot
before us a negro more hideous in his uglines
describe. A mingling of what one reads o
Pagan and Bill Sykes; a combination of Graf
and of sensuality brutalized idea of a vul
gar Shvlock and an inhuman bully.
"Well, Tobe," said our guide, show are yo,
tonight, and how are your wivesP"
"Pretty well, thank you, sir" he responed
bowling, and pointing to corner, where, on
single pallet, with an unoccupied space between
lay two white females who had once bee
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 office
picked up little boy with what seemed to
a cigar box slung over his shoulder boy nc
more than five years old. He was withou
father or mother, had been peddling his candle
and begging his pennies since morning, an
seemed to be glad to be captured, because, a
guiltless as he was, he might thus secure rest
ing place for the night. Our officer informe
us that it was no uncommon thing for childre
from ten to fourteen, to be accomplished O
pickpockets, and to make business of askin
aims but this little fellow was not of this elias
We carried him TO the station-house, and mad
ample compensation to him for our indifference
because that we had just seen seemed to cal
for no human sympathy or assistance.
The lieutenant at this station kindly thre
open the doors of the lodging rooms, and I
the cells for prisoners taken up during the nigh
| In one of these rooms we counted fourtee
women-homelessand fiiendless creatures, WI
had there sought shelter. Some were asleel
and those who walked drew their shawls ov'
their bare heads to avoid the gaze Of the Wis
tors. One held in her arms child, about tN
years old, whose little pale face and alternate
limbs indicated that the sands of its life wei
fast running out, and that Providence intendt
to rescue it from the fate of the poor wretch
around il.
Outside of this small and close cell, on bel
ches, were stretched other women. Not fe
of their countenances showed past beauty of l
ordinary character. The black, glossy hair
one, her white teeth and her finely chisellt
features were evidence that, young as she wa
she had faunted her brief day as queen amor
her class. But she, too, was not long for tn
life.
AT the end of the corridor was room som
what larger, occuDed by the men lOdgeI