The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1873-08-02
A Funny Scene at Washington
Marke*.

! An incident thai as 10Th ludicrOus and
pathetic occurred at Washington Market,
New York, on Wednesday, when the pla-
toons of policemen took their stations on
the streets about the market to protect the
women while they were demolishing the
stalls. Among the many market women
who have become institutions" at these
stalls, and waxed fat and rich together, 10
Mrs. Donnelly, who for many years has
sold meat there, and grown to be almost q
fixture. She turns the scale at $40 pounds,
has countenance Of irresistible good ma
ture, and tongue ordinarily which has
never been picked. But this raid Of the
authorities was too much, 50 says q report
sr of the New York Times; while the men
were ut work ut her stall, she hArangued
the crowd of spectators around, and espe-
cially the oficers, in the following terms:
Goodness gracious, what a work this is
to be sure, for men to be engaged in Go
in to rip down these stalls about your
heads. Hain't we paid enough to stand
here and tire our legs out with standin'.
and our mouths out with shoutin all to
earn an honest hvinl / never hearn Of
such n thing as this before. Policemen
here, too, with big clubs TO keep US from
sayin anythin'. You can't stop me talkin'
Ill yell at the top Of my lungs. till there
amt any breath in my body, you vaga-
bonds, Ill yell and eat beefsteak, too,
when there amt the size Of my little finger
Of you all above the ground To think
that YOU, who have families looking for
their bread every time you 20 home, should
come here to rob us like thieves. What
would you do if some one would knock you
out OF a job and leave your families to
starve You needn't laugh at me if | am
fat; amt fool live better than you,
if | do keep stall and wear greasy
clothes. live ON beefsteak, and every
one in my house does, too. That's what
gives muscle and gets up danderi Id
trade off for sardine, if | was pure and
puny as lots Of you folks are Oh, amt
80 poor a. you think, perhaps. own 800
acres of the best of land in the country,
with two good horses, and all the money
Ill ever want in the bank I've got 81 900
in my pocket, too. I've brought up my
family like gentlemen, and gwen EN- all
education. Why, my husband weighs 25O
pounds. | never let him work-hes too
lat. Just pay all Of his bills, and give
him the best victuals in the market. My
husband, | want you to understand, is a
gentleman. If was a man | would be q
gentleman, too. | have given up trying
for that, though, it's no use.
81 may not dress like an aristocrat, but
| belong to the upper ten. just move
about them in big style. They never pass
this stall without layin' in a supply of pro
visions.
The fat woman looked q little sad a. she
continued:
But they'll never do it again, though
1t don seem possible that these vagabOnds
are going to tear down my place, and that
won't come here any more Why, I've
stood here and bought and sold till it seems
as if couldn't go away, and as if it is all
dream It's like tearing the roof off my
head where was born and reared. But it
is all true. can't help it, big as | am;
don't know Just where to 20 for a place; it
don't make much difference with me- tho,
| can live without work. But where these
poor ones about me II 60 is hard to think Of
Some of them have every dollar in the
woriA in their stalls. Big families and no
way to live. God help EN-, for the people
around herewont."