Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1868-08-11

I theUo hunlGnG, however, is to be- had At tn,
gold exchange where some two or three hun
dred gamblers and thieves get together and try
which one can out belloW' the other. Gfoold.M-amr al
article remembered with, a sigh BY that respec
and down like The feathered Shuttle under the
battle door, according to the strength of the
ljobber lungs. The Stock Exchange is rather
more decent!o $50 efj ri fioti N XaKHITl1D
/ Among the ex, Confederate officers now in
/ New Gork, whose acquaintance u highlbuprize,
L | had the pleasure of shaking hands with Gems.
Il Beauregardj Magruder, doe Davis, and. Major
lDadB Bridgf6rdp p formerly Provost Marshal
General iof the Army Of Virginia, and Col.
Skinner, of the LIST Na.1. Regiment. All, with
theeexeeption of the tWoIfrt;ate In mercantile
huslnessoi GoiijnG ym ssh IL .boi3EHlRSIn!
h hebnl9z9 -vUrT T-r5 s-TTfT urrTt- iIaq oyiiol
a1ota Correspondence of the Spectator SIT II
.s91q Ine 9'gRAIiffMdRE,,n August AR9a assaoi
John Allen is said to be wicked st % an
in New York. THIS may Be The case, ID
Il strongly suspect there are many who Shine III
their mushroom splendor, who, If properly 'ad-
Judged, would have to yield the palm, to him.
Reading much and hearing more Of this strange
character, determined at the risk Of a, fair
moral reputation TO pay. him him q visit I
will preface, my account Of the interview by
d
his antecedents:. It is said that he. was origii
nally a clerk and then became a. preacher Of
the, gospel of Christ, After many changes in,
the phases of life, he opened on Water Street.
the region most ffequented by mariners and
lsteyedores, a dance house, Now. there are
doubtless many of your readers who have not
the faintest idea Of what kind pleasure ma.
chine dance house is. / will endeayorl TO
enlighten them. ~ ~ t'',''og ~ 2au19, =, =.
The front room, or that entered from the
Street occupied by an array Of bottles. painted
kegs, decanters and tumblers, witha a long coun-.
ter and sanded foor.I This is called the bal.
room "a = magazine Of poisons Of every deserip-
glory, the dispenser Of the hel. l broth It that lat
makes men mad or nerry. The room in. the
rear of thisis the dance room, With 4 small bar
in the corner, and an orchestra for the gentle
musicians - -! - go -
NV visit TO John Allen was during the day (,
i, therefore was not gratifed with a view of
the dance, which only takes place after. gas
light. | took care to place myself under the
protection Of policeman These gentlemen
are very attentive to strangers, but seldom show
them the elephant without looking for re-
ward. Nor did think myself safe even with
a conseryatoG Of the law, my companion was
an astache to the City Mission.
We found the landlord in a good humor, a,
cheerful smile spread his forid features, and he.
was unusually communicative.
They make great fuss about me in the
city papers,, said he; ''even that blackguard
Brick pomeroy is making capital out Of me-
All humbug, gentlemen, all humbug. No
doubt you come for the same purpose
Well, go head. Do you take malt or alca-
hol?'' =! 'H ~ ai
I candidly confessed to him that was q sa-
journer from the South, and curiosity induced
the visit.
"a rebel heys'n asked he looking knowing
ly. Il thought as much. I'm thinking that's
q bitter pill you have to swallow, that niger
pill t' =
! We assured him that he was not far from
the mark; but that we hoped there was good
day coming. ~ 49, ~ u.
Il hope SO too, replied he. Take seats,
gentlemen, and make yourselves perfectly easy.
This is liberty hall, I suppose you want to
see my boy Chester-he's the cub lion Of the
den. - - loo ~
We seated ourselves at table filled with
newspapers, tracts, camp meeting songs, moral
essays and campaign pamphlets, most delight
fully mixed up together Most Of the tracts
were stitched together in kind of book-form,
and seemed to have been considerably thumbed.
He told us afterwards that he frequently read
them to the sailors, and he believed he had
done: more good than many of the lazy mis-
sionarles. - - 90 - '
al keep dance house, - said he, for the
purpose of keeping my girls from evil habits.
Is Mt it better Tor them to be housed up COM
fortably here, to enjoy life while in their days
of bloom than to be wandering about the
streets like vagabonds begging for a crust Of
dry bread to eat? WhyZthey say Tm the
wickedest man in New York, when all the
while I N saving the poor girls from starving.
Why, gentlemen, I've done more good since
I've kept this house than | did while |
preached the gospel, and still I'm a wicked
man.. If I m a wicked man, the Lord help.
Ben Butler and his crew, | say. But, here's.
Chester my son. He $ great boy, he is--youl
bet Chester, you young catamount, take off
your hat to the gentlemen, and tell EN- how
many Presidents there have been-how old
they we're when they died and how many years
they served o9 4'' = ~ 9~ .--- '51--'
Chester, bright and merry looking boy did
as his father babe him. He also told the num-
Der of chapters, verses, words and letters in
the bible repeated the Lord s prayer and sang
very prettily the hymn of Skinner, why will ye
die' $50. Hogc d.aQ F-t .asa r
We gave the boy few coppers and off he
flew to join his companions, the 'Sinud larks'
of the dock. o' 9.l.5l IL .n-a- 1o "a
Allen then took US into the danoe-room,
where were seated either knitting, darnlng or
sewing, Mrs. Allen and six young cyprians, all
in their morning wrappers. Mrs. Allen was
rather tidy looking woman-the girls looked
rather slouchy-bloated from excessive dissipa-
ton and late hours. Their beauty might be
such as would enehant the weather beaten old
tar, but would hardly add brilianey to the Sa-
looms of Fashion. The lady of the mansion
scarcely deigned to notice us, but the young
girls began Immediately to prim themselves and
smooth their stray locks. A moments glance,
and all the past life of these poor wretches
loomed up before me-the degradation of the
present and the horrors of the futureL And
yet New Y ork boasts of 900 dance houses! I'd
My visit to John Allen gave me a faint in
sight into crime in New York, and exhibited to
me an origsa,at-a character never yet sketehed
by the imaginative novelist. They say Allen
has been eonverted-that he became alarmed
at the idea of his son Chcsters leading an
abandoned life! l fancy not, for he had re-
ligion Of his own; he believed that he was do
ing good thing in stretching out his arm to
save young girls from utter ruin; He has a
respect for the gospel, and regularly on Sun
to his household and Joins with them in sing
ing songs of praise. He is said to be worth
$50, OO0 all made by liquor and his dance
house, When he has made $4,000 more,
he says he intends to retire into quiet life and
trouble the missionaries and newspaper repor-
tefs no more Chester, he says, shall have the
best College education. . q - -....IiV1
aa ,a.i- s- .I i 2-.- CHIPS.
----------- al sslJ. g.
George D. Prentice, the poet and editor, is
1 i n l.. d. =