Connecticut western news., 1875-04-16

l ODuged Go proceed SlOWly and W1tn very great pains. The. other paupers eyed him enviously, and one of them told me that the old man was ''riggeler bloated 'risticrat. "5 These were his very words, and he'w in earnest, foo. found out afterwards that pauperdom has it's social distinctions, its petty rules of etiquette, I has it's cliques, who associate only with clique has it's leading spirits, and all of J these mighty leaders of fashion bow down before the "boss pauper." He in turn icks the dust in the presence of the under warden, who is ruled over by the warden. The warden himself to the mass of the paupers is as inaccessible as the Czar is to his Cossacks. Thus is sus- tained the mighty fabric of society. | My toilet was simple, as had only to put on my coat, hat and shoes. This 1 done, [ bethought me of ablutions, but could see no signs of the necessary uten- sils. On inquiry learned that there was trough in the barnyard for water ing cattle, where inmates were allowed to wash, if they chose. I accordingly made descent, and discovered, after laying my face and hands, that 8 coat sleeve is, after all, 8 very convenient towel. .l. ...f.,-
 Breakfast consisted of bread and mo- lasses, and something termed coffee. I could not but admire the relish with which my companions made their matu- tinal onslaught. . s42e s...' -
 The children-poor, little, ignorant wafs-were even worse off than we. There were about thirty of them, filling two tables, and it was pitiful to see their manifestations of hunger How they rushed into their seats, climb ing an1 tl1mbling over each other like | little wolves, clamoring and crying, grabbing at the scanty morsels before them, and choking themselves with in ordinate mouthfuls. There was this | difference between the children's food and that of the men: the former had all | the crusts and stale ends of bread. A trifing difference, perhaps, but, when it is considered the meal consisted of noth- ing but bread with little molasses, the fact becomes more important.
 | Among the hundred or more occupants of Ward D, where was located, there were many very queer people. It would certainly be very queer if there were not The dregs of humanity were they, with few exceptions, gathered from the gutter, 1lOU HULL UI16 SAOps l OS01U1J uOU NlClOuS or criminal, they were yet of the lowest l type of creation. Ignorance, drink, and l superannuation were what brought them there. The majority were old. Some had been shifted upon the county by their children, and these were generally supplied with tobacco and clothing from home. Some were sick, some idiotic, some downright insane. There was not one man in ten who had his wits plainly about him. Nearly all were more or less " cranky" having been made so by re- cent association and habits of living, even 1 if they had never been so before coming to the poorhouse.
 There was one young man who went by the appellation of s' Gutter Snipe." Poor Snipe had seen the worst of hard usage, and only a very small part of his senses had been left in him. He was forever on the wing-always walking restlessly up and down, up and down. His dress had been shockingly neglected by the authorities. His ragged woolen shirt was open in front. His insufficient trousers were greatly alienated from his shoes, exposing long stretch of bare leg. He had no stockings, and his shoes were superabundantly ventilated. In his peregrinations Snipe never noticed or spoke to anybody, but could frequent | ly be heard mur1nuring to himself words of undistinguishable import. Once in while he would suddenly start and run, or rather leap, down the room, but would immediately resume his former pace. It was his habit of running which had giving him his sobriquet. Snipe was no doubt insane, but he was peaceable He and I got to be regular old cronies, sworn friends, during my pauper expert ence. s-. ...a r.. .......
 Another oddity in our ward was young man called Gloomy He was not really insane, but only foolish. Never, since he has been in the poor house, has he ever been known to utter @ word. He sat for hours, in fact all day, in one position near the stove suck 1 ing his thumb, and trying to look wise. he shamefully treated by the authorities of paper and chips from the floor, and carefully boarding them up in his pock- cts, perhaps thinking in his weak brain that they were treasures of inestimable value. On the morning after my arrival, Loony was sitting in his customary place with his chin upon his hands, gazing out of window upon the un- broken white sea of prairie, when the ''boss pauper happened to observe him. The ''boss' , name, had by this time ascertained, was O'Brien. O'Brien chanced to look towards Loony, and saw the latter's distended coat pocket. Now, he knew perfectly well the poor boys weakness and he knew what was in the pocket. But with the malevolence which seemed part of this old mans nature, he stepped across to Loony, and without @ word knocked him down. Then he rifed his pockets roughly, at the same time calling the attention of all the pau pers to the trembling wretch.
 " Look here, will ye? Here's nice rats, nest y cried he, as he emptied out the bits of paper and chips. And all the paupers groveled around and echoed: " Oh, what 8 nice rats nest it is !"
 The dinner hour was two o'clock. Paupers don't eat supper ill winter time. The dinner this day was looked forward to with pleasing anticipation. There was an unwonted stir and com ment in our ward previous to the ringing of the bell. All were eager, and more or less excited. Why? It was bean-soup day. Once in two weeks the grand event comes off, and there is a consequent eclat. Sick men donned their rags and crawled down to taste of this rare luxury A very intelligent-looking Swede, who was confined with infammatory rheu- matism, and who could scarcely move without shrieking with pain, borrowed crutch and hobbled down stairs and across the yard to the dining groom.
 Again l waited until the third table, as preferred to avoid the crowd.
 The bean soup was made in the base ment of the main building, and was thence carried in 8 washtub across the