Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1872-10-23
SMALL CHAPTER OF HUMANITY
Ten Minutes Observation I'm the Sta
tIOnhOuse at NOoD-ThfEgs in Life Of
Which Most Preachers and Phil
Osophsrs Know Nothing.
samples Fished Up from the Under
current.

The scenes that &Ee 10 De WlllesoeQ Al
the stationhouse everyday are generally
common, and therefore not interesting.
To zone class Of minds such scenes, how
ever, are matters for study-study which
leads to unsatisfactory conclusion, which
/ leaves the mind wandering away over a
sea of uncertainties as regards nature
and humanity; study which upsets all
theories of philanthrOpists as well as Of
misanthropes. Humanity is still a mys-
terry. 1t is all nonsense for sophomore
optimists to tell US that there is wonder
full progress going on in the world, when
We see all round the same deprayity, the
| same crimes, the same weaknesses that
we saw half a century since. A repeti-
ton without any variation. In the trial
of Angelic Mare last week many Of the
witnesses were thieves and murderers.
The philosopher, in his dream of
the millennium, so far from having
thieves and murderers d~esecrating tenn
Piles ofjustice by their presence, would not
have them in the world at all. To the
truly observant mind the course Of such
| a trial would be lesson enough to compel
the conviction that there is no progress.
We are but a weak, miserable set; 3
wretched thing, a rather sorry eombina-
ton of incongruities-this humanity Of
ours, after all. Notwithstanding owe
two hundred men skilled in justice, all
sorts Of injustice prevails. In spite Of
. our two hundred men qUOcdted to eXter-
inmate disease, disease seems to 90
ahead with increasing vigor. Inthe face
Of over forty churches, and as many
preachers who are commissioned from
on high to Eight the devil and overcome
his power he still seems to have things
his own way. There is no progress.
The hattening out Of rugged paths, and
the power Of creating dyspepsia by rob
bling at once the tropics and the poles Of
their products to stuff into the gaping
Jaws Of humanity, is not progress.
Let US look at the statiOEhOuse.
Here are three men forced in from the
street where they had been walking free
under the cloudy canopy of heaven.
They are locked up closely in dark cells.
No balls will be taken. They are vic
tins of the law. And why? Because
they tried 10 victimize their brothers BY
stealing from them. They are charged
with burglary. They are co~nspirators
against property. They are advanced
Communists.
And now comes in several cOlOred
people in the hands of one police. The
police has evidently had his judgment
already warped-that is, s%upposing him
to have Judgment. He wants to lock
up but one OF the colOred people, and to
take the names Of the Others a. wit
nesses. The unfavored one in this case
is a good-natured darkey, who was
guilty Of attempting 10 force his clean
shirts out Of the possession Of viXenish
washerwoman. He rammed his hand
into her trunk, to take cur his under
garments, n0ters UObeaS. The washer
woman resented this, and he resented
her resentment. She said, indeed, that
ne slapped her, and then she slapped
down the lid of the trunk, and then.
why then the policeman appeared and
arrested the man who was properly
isheG rais morning by the Recorder, no
DOUBT. And this is progress.
But he-s are more evidences Of pro-
gress. B .1ec The jailer had time TO lock
up the lu@A who fought for his shirts,
comes officer Haggerty Cd the scene, in
charge IF a hand-eart, whereon lies a
man dead drunk. He was picked up ON
the public streets, in a worse than
beastial condition. Officer Haggerty had
q severe time of it, getting him on the
hand-cart, ard he had a hard time of
it, also getting so much dead av-
~oirdupOise into the back cells of
the lookup. The officer, no doubt, feels
all the time that We live in an age OF
wonderful progress, and that the anne
Iteration Of human kind is going on at
a fearful rate. an
While Mr.. Haggerty is arranging his
uniform preparatory to another sally
forth in pursuit of dead DRINKS, thieves
and cut-throats, peculiarities of our pro-
gress, here comes 8 widow with red eyes
and her handkerchief rolled up in 8
damp ball, held betweensher hands dis
~consOlately. Have you seen my pOyF"
is the first spasmodic expression that
passes her lips, and accompanying that
expression gushes forth a food Of tears.
my pOy," she continues, is shuste
done gone away; she's lost, and dat's
watts the natter" and then another
flood Of tears. "He VollOws some
Sleeps on de Main straus, and | see him
no more dis morning. Have you see my
poy?" Here was exquisite sorrow-here
was exquisite misery--here was broken
heartedness fully epitomised in these
red eyes and that damp ball rolled up
between her hands. And yet We talk
Of progress.
BECAUSE a person has a bad cough il
should not be inferred that consump-
ton has set in, although a case of con-
sumption is rarely mel with unaecom-
panied by a distressing cough. Where, I
however, q disposition to pulmonary
- .-F~e. 4. .nr.ah - faff 10 ffGalf ]