Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1868-11-27
Life in New York.

SUNSHINE AND SHADOW IN NEW YORK. BY Matthew
Hale Smith Illustrated 74 PIP. Hartford, Conn.
j. b. Burr Co. 1865.
Great cities which are the hearts Of great
nations, are always fruitful topics for the
pen of skillful writer; but probably no
city in the world centers in herself more
material of varied interest than does New
York. SO, no work which could come to
the hands Of our readers, who love to
know whats going on in the world" and
show people live" would be apt to be
found so intensity interesting as the one
whose title We quote above. j. B. Burr d
Co., the sagacious publishers of the work,
certainly knew what they were about in
giving it to the public. 1t must have a
vast sale, and they must reap large and
deserved harvest therefrom for "every-
body and his neighbor" cannot but find in
the book great deal to excite and inter
est him, to say nothing Of The thousand
valuable matters of solid information which
it affords. d Nobody from the country
should ever visit New York without hav-
ing first read this book :: and the old fire.
quenter of that city will find scattered
here and there throughout its pages, hosts
of things which may have escaped his at
tention, and will rise from the perusal of
the book (Which he will be sure to not
lay aside till he has finished IT'D with that
sort of pleasure which one feels in revisit
ing in manhood the scenes Of his child
hood, or in wandering back to the father
land The high and the low; moral
worth and craft and cunning; joys and
sorrows; smiling fortune and frowning
penury; the home and affairs of devotion
and purity, and the interior views of the
homes Of debauchery and crime, ETC., etc.,
are here painted in their true colors. The
publishers deserve the public's most prac-
tical thanks for this work, from which We
make below an extract or two:
HARRY HILLS DANCE HoUsE-INsIDE VIEW.
The hall is a curiosity. 1t is very low
studded. twas originally composed of
many quite small rooms. But partition
after partition has been knocked away, and
room added to room, till the hall is very
large. The ceilings are of different heights,
and remain as originally built A more
homely room cannot be found in New
York. The walls are covered with pic
lures, and not one indecent or objection
able one can be seen. The rules of the
house are hung up in conspicuous places,
and are put in the form of poetry. The
pith of these rules is, "No loud talking;
no profanity: no obscene or indecent ex-
preston will be allowed; no one drunken,
and no one violating decency, will be pre-
mitted to remain in the room; no man
can sit and allow woman to stand all
must call for refreshments as soon as they
arrive; the call must be repeated after each
dance; and if man does not dance, he
must leave" The profits of the concern
are connected with the bar, and that must
be literally and constantly patronized.
There is no bar in the hall, but long
counter occupies one side. After the dance,
the man takes his partner to the counter.
Here he orders what he will, and the re.
freshments are sent up from below. The
rules are quite rigidly enforced, and the
penalty for neglect is summarily inflicted
DARK PAGE TO READ.
A sadder story of New York life can
not be written than that connected with
this place. Girls of great promise and ed
ucation; girls accomplished, and fitted to
adorn any station; girls from country
homes. and from the city; missing maid
ems; wives who have run away from their
husbands; girls who have eloped with
lovers; girls from shops and factory, from
trade and the saloon, can here be seen in
the dance. The only child of Judge, the
wife of an eminent lawyer, snowy, flashy,
and elegantly dressed, and women of
lower degree, all mngle. They come and
60 as they will Women who have good
homes and confding husbands, girls whose
mothers know not where they are, and
would rather bury them than know that
they went in such company, ere at this
drink is astonishing. After each dance
the company 60 to the bar and drink
They drink champagne when their part
ners can afford it. Strong liquors are in
demand at all times. 1t is NO uncommon
thing to see young miss take half tum-
bier of undiluted liquor, and toss it off
without winking. At midnight the doors
close, and the company depart. 1t is the
rule of Mr.. Hill not to keep open on the
Sabbath, and he plumes himself greatly on
his piety. But the dance is merry till
midnight on Saturday,
The men who here meet are a sight to
behold They crowd the center of the
floor, and jostle each other for want of
room. Men of all grades and all degrees
officers in uniform; sergeants and Officers
of police without uniform; judges of courts,
and leading men of the bar; merchants
jewellers, book men, and bankers: politi
clans, and candidates for the high honors
in the State and nation; clerks, men, boys
with all classes and kinds. These men
join in the dance, drink at the bar and fir,
with the women, and pay the bills.