Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1869-07-12
Marriage I'm Low Life.

| rIou the oaint LOUIS Uemocrats uly ~.
Almond street from Second to Fifth
inhabited by class of women who ar
considered the most depraved of God
creatures. In some of the dens of tina
locality blacks and whites, men and wo
men, live in the most degrading associa
ton, drinking and carousing at night
and sleeping during the day. Almon,
street is the Five Points" of St. Louis
On no other street are found so many o
the loathsome creatures, who, in tn,
depths of shame, occupy slower depth.
| OF all the utterly abandoned women o.
Almond street, Aanie johnson is one o.
the worst, the most reckless and dep:aved
She probably has not drawn sober
breath in several years. The police
docket is black with her name, and she i,
as we'll known at the calaboose as the
turkeys cat. 1t is difficult to Imagine
while looking upon the bloated features
and listening to the blasphemous langu
age of the poor creature, that "once she
was pure as the beautiful snow" YeI
such was the case. Up to certain pc
riod of her life she was innocent and re
spected, and her prospects we're as fair az
those of majority of young women.
There is nothing new or strange in the
story of her fall. Thousands have fallen
in similar manner, but very few des-
cerded so low as Annie johnson.
In the days of her innocence and beauty
she was passionately loved by a young
man named VIM. Ii. Harrison, who re-
sided in the same neighborhood she did,
in the State of Ohio. Harrison was not
the only lover Annie boosted of, nor was
he the favorite of her bosom. She re-
Jected him, and gave her heart to another,
but not her hand. She was betrayed, and
went forth from her happy home ruined
and despised outcsst. Harrison sought
her far and near, but upon entering upon
life of shame she took new name, and
studiously avoided meeting with any of
her old associates.
At length, after losing all hope Of find
ing the object of his first and only love,
Harrison met her in this city last Thurs
day. She was fearfully changed, bat he
at once recognized her, and the love of
his youth revived in his bosom; and not
withdrawing her repulsive appearance,
he worshipped her as in the old days. At
the time of the meeting Annie was heastly
drunk, and wasin charge of policeman,
who had arrested her for vagrancy. She
had engaged Colonel Robert Claiborne to
defend her in the Police Court, aud to
him Harrison applied to know how be
could serve the prisoner. He told the
lawyer of his early and undated love for
Annie, and intimated that he was anxious
to marry her, degraded as she was.
Colonel Claiborne saw that this was a
good chance TO get his client clear OF the
charge of vagrancy, and ending that the
man was IL eaFnesi, he made arrange
4ept9 ias the wedding at Justice Gun.
ningham's Office. Harrison spent nearly
the whole of Thursday night in walking
with Annie through the streets, for the
purpose of getting her sober, but she was
so thoroughly "sasked" With bad whisky
ald besF thai nothing less than a season
at water-cure establishment would
purge her bosom of tAs perilous stuff"
which she had for years been imbibing on
Almond arrest.
Accordingly, when the bride appeared |
before the Justice to undergo the marriage
ceremony, she was still drunk, aud her
manner was far from the accustomed
modesty Of bride.
The first difficulty that presented itself |
to the bridegroom was the marriage fee |
of s. for the Justice. He seaFehed his
clothes and could not yesarrect a single
stamp. Ae called upon the bride to
liauidate, as the fee was required in ad-
vance.
Amt it bad enough" said the BRIDE,
with an oath, "thst 1 must marry such a
man, without having to pay for itg'
The fee being settled, .hs Justice told |
he Bride 50 lake the hand of the BRIDE
yrooA. Annie objected to this, and said
she wouldn't take any mans hand"
On being urged, she changed her mind,
and slapped her hsp3 into that of Harri-
ION with report like pistol,
The Justice was proceeding TO tie tie
Knot in due form, when the bride inter-
-upted him VITA an oath, and told him to
make II short"
1t was the most ludicrous marriage
ceremony ever performed. The specta-
ors, including Colonel Bob Claiborne,
vsre oonyulsed with laughter. When
he knot was firmly tied, the strange I
couple walked out with 9 sWsgger, and
tarted for Ohio. Harrison thinks he can
eform Annie, aud thus she will make
i'm good wife. We hone be will net ,
e disappointed.