The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1868-12-19

Down into the Louvre we dived.
This Is the great saloon where waiter
girls are numerous and the fast boys
and curious strangers most do CON-
gregate. 1nnumerable ronnd tables
and countless chairs filled the large
room. while upon the latter were
seated men of all ages and appear
ance, drinking beer, wine or stronger
stimulants perhaps. In many of
these gatherings sat one or more of
the waiter-girls, drinking with their
guests. I observed that the girls did
not tarry long at any one table.
They would receive orders, get the
liquors and cigars, take drink with
the party if invited, and then, in q
short time, be off to serve other
tables with fresh orders and fresh
drinks. The general character of
these waiter-girls is at the BEST sus-
picions.' while not one in hundred
of them is passing fair. They are
the youthful victims of debauchery
and vice; and, with all their tawdry
dresses, powdering and painting, to
an observant eye, the fact cannot be
concealed. To strangers they are
particularly attentive, especially if
said stranger is possessed of much
greenbacks; but If lie isn't fixed"
they soon leave his table for one
more cOngonial. Each of. these girls
has history. It is mot my purpose,
nor have the ability, to paint in
language the story of their livos.
There is i'll this Louvre O musical
machine, worked by steam. I think
it is called acalliope. q The music is
well played, but rather too constant.
Behind the bar stand number of
men IN their shirt sleeves, ready to
mix up the petroleum, into glycerine,
or whiskey, if you will; draw the beer
and ale, or count out the cigars, as
the girls give the orders.
A ticket is given to the bar. keeper
by the girl, while the customer pays
the girl. and frequently fails to re-
ceive his change, especially if the
waitress is pleasant and smart At
the end OF the nights work, e or
o'clock in the morning,) the girls re-
deem the tickets they have paid to
the bar-keeper, and the cash left Oh
hand is their own Besides these
perquisites, they receive from Sc to
$40 per week regular pay. Candidly
speaking, what there is attractive
about one of these saloons to lead off
SO many young men to ruin, and all
chat sort of thing-as the New York
papers have often asserted-I could
not see. The girls are not pretty,
they are not intelligent, they are
gross and lewd. The liquor is in
tolerable, the scgars are abominable,
the music is too steamish, while the
smoke and odor of the room is nau-
seous. Any young man, possessing
one tithe of refinement. deserves to
be ruined, if he allows snch place,
with its inmates, to be the canse.
"But, says Norton, "we'll go around
among those places where they are
ruined every day in the week"
My friend, of course, settled the
bill, and without even q smile from
one of the poor girls, we retired. In
short time, after going through
passage-rrSy and up one flight of
stairs, [ iuund myself in front of
sash door, with my friend by my side,
vigorously pulling at bell-knob. A
wicket was opened, the eyes of
colored waiter were observed, "All
right!' was spoken, and in moment
more, we were in u large room; in
fact, two large rooms made one by
the removal of the folding doors. In
the front part, was q faro table; in
the back part, was faro table. At
either of these, men were seated;
while behind them stood the players
two, three, or four deep. The dealer
and lookout for the game sat on the
inside Of the tables. Our presence
was not needed, except by some man
interested in the game"-one of the
proprietors-I suppose. The dealer
and his lookout had their work to
do, while the players were too intent
upon the turn of the cards and the
arrangement of their bets on the
handsomely painted layout, placed
on the table between the players and
the dealer. On this layout, which
is made of green cloth, with thirteen
cards painted upon it, from the ace
to the king, inclusive, the players
place their checks, white or red round
bits of ivory. The white represents
dollar; the red five dollars, and
when the player loses all the checks
he has, he buys more from the dealer,
or he "gits up and gits,' making
room for some other PLAYER. A broken