The weekly Shasta courier. [volume] (Shasta, Calif.) 1872-190?, 1873-06-28
Removing the Traces.


Removing the Traces.
OF all the ungodly places at six O'Clock
on cold winters morning, commend me to
the Tombs police court: How the spirit
ltherea no ghosts nowadays of Mark
Tdpley would revel in its horrors the chill.
ing atmosphere, the gloom, the repulsive as.
sIciations OF the place, the knowledge that
one Is within few feet of some five and
twenty human beings whose hands are indel-
IDLY stained with the life blood of their fel-
lows. and. last and more realistic, because
more immediate, that dreadful pen of poor
downtallen humanity, the drunk and dis
orderlies collected at the down. town sta
ion-houses during the night, who are-some
with trembling and shamefacedness, some
with insolent bravado- awaiting the COM
ing OF the magistrate before starting on their
inevitable trip to the island for ten days
change Of air. Add to this fact that you
have TO stamp your toes and blow on your
fingers for good two hours in this scene
before the magistrate arrives, and | think
that even the exacting spirit of Mr.. Tapley
would own that he had for once found his
much coveted opportunity of being jolly
under adverse circumstances.
/ was thoroughly depressed when put
in an appearance at the early examination
at the Tombs the other morning Warmly
as Twas clothed, and rapidly as | had walk
ed from the hotel where had passed the
night, the bowling cold snap and driving
rain had thoroughly chilled me- | had
too, seen, here and there on my route
the children Of misery and wretchedness
stealing out from their unpaid-tor nights
shelter IN some dark doorway; and, as !
hurried up the steps leading to the gloomy
looking entrance ofthe Tombs, | repeated
to myself the lines in Lear"
Poor naked wretches, wheresoe'er you are,
That bide the pelting of this pitiless storm,
How shall YOUR houseless heads and unfed sides.
Your looPed and Widowed raggedness, defend
From seasons such as thesel"
The next minute was in the courtroom.
ny the-way, may as well state at once that
was neither a prosecutor" nor "a felony -
Dor - larceny nor "a brutal assault"
he officers have curious habit of speaking
OF tnelr prisoners as being brutal assaults, y
"knuckle-dusters," knife.cases, ETC., allud-
ing OF course, to the charge on which they
have been arrested. When first heard a
NAT starved looking little man spoken of as
a" knlte-case," ] eyed him with considera-
BILE curiosity. l had read of the marvels of
Indian juggIery and japanese legerdemain :
but 1 thought it must trouble even those
accomplished heather artists to convert
themselves into knIfe-cases" A few more
such graphic descriptions, however, soon
enlightened me. and began to turn my at
tention to the business which had brought
me to the Tombs on that inclement Monday
morning. study of the drunk and disor-
derlles." There was every specimen of the
genius-from the first otfense" to the
"incorrigible "a gathering worthy of the
pencil OF Hogarth At first was inclin-
ed to think that should be troubled with
Iembarras de richesses, like the medical
student who visited a battle field for the
purpose OF securing"a subject" I, too,
was IN search of subject. I intended to
make temporary investment in one of the
many eligible specimens before me. and the
only trouble was which to choose. scan
ned them all carefully, studied their good
anu oda points, and appraised them one af-
Yer another Till, at last some of the most
orazen laced hung their heads and conceal
90 Their features. heard aiterward that
was suspected of being an officer in citizens
dress, present for the purpose of proving
previous convictions against old Offenders.
nus conscience doth make towards of us
all However | made my choice
-, but thonnae propose Ell Dieu dispose.
mat stern dictator OF the law--the sitting
magistrate-came very near "upsetting INV
applicant. One by one, he ordered of the
most hRely examples to the island and
when the very one of all Others / had
set my heart upon was sentenced to share
the same fate with them, and to Join the
: ranks OF morarchs retired from business
my heart sank within me. and could al
most have cried with vexation. What to
me was the miscarriage OF justice at such a
time! 1 was bent on certain purpose
and 1 had made up mind that, if that one
particular parsonage was. afforded the alter
native of gong to the island, OF handing
over hve dollars to the treasury of the city
. and county OF New York, the five dollars
should be forthcoming at all hazards But
The judge would not give me the ghost of a
Chance, and, to-day, am richer man by
the sum of five dollars Butthere was
sui another and unforeseen chance for me
Almost the last case called up was that of a
7Dutchman, who was charged with beating
his wife, aud the unhappy wife's eyes and
NOS were pretty competent and convincing
witnesses against hun. He was taken be-
low; and, as soon as be was lost to the
sight' he immediately became dear to the
memery oil his better hall, who hurst out
crying as she turned to leave the court
room. Here. then. was my chance. A few
sympathetic words would stand me in need
Tor an Introduction, and, by dint of listle
management, | should BE- in possession oil
subject"
1 am very sorry for you but cheer up
ne Will soon be bIek AGAIN" 1 remarked, IL
the most sympathetic Of tones, as | walked
by the side Of the sobbing woman across the
hall
She accepted my sympathy with thank.
Iui glance, and soobed more bitterly than
ever.
Can ! do any thing for your" 1 asked
More sobs. lHs
The situation was becoming rather en-
barrassing. and L thought l would try a
more direct attack so observed, quite in
cidentally. OF course, That is q fearful