Connecticut western news., 1875-12-10

l AY shoes have not been worn a fortnight or anything like it''
 Trottie's eyes now fell on the shoes as the man was examining them, and it struck her they were remarkably like her little brother Johnny's, and she re- membered that about fortnight before pair of shoes had been bought for him out of the last wages her father had earned before he was thrown out of work at the docks. It also occurred to her that the shawl the woman wore strongly resembled the one which her mother had on when she went out to market. Her attention, was, however, again riveted to the conversation of the | two men.
 male drunkards are ever reclaimed" re- marked one of them. "Never," said the assistant. "I've been now in these kind of shops in Rat cliff highway and about Whitechapel for the last five and twenty years, and, you may imagine, have had a good deal of to 8 temperance society myself well, can assure you I've never in my life known female drunkard reclaimed af- ter once having pawned her children's shoes. almost look upon it that when once she has pledged her child's shoes she is as completely lost to all chance of reformation as the men we used to read of in former times who sold themselves to the evil one."
 "Isn't that carrying the idea rather too far ?" said his companion.
 "Not bit, " replied the assistant. "You don't, then, consider it possible | for drunken woman to be reclaimed ?" "Not when she's once pawned her children's shoes," said the man, "and there's very curious circumstance con- nected with it, showing how much more prejudicially drink will net on woman's mind than mans. A man may be an irreclainable drunkard, and to satisfy his propensity for drink will purloin or steal anything he can lay his hands upon, but never knew case of 8 man, although very likely a dozen-t times con- victed thief, ever having pawned his children's clothes for the sake of drink. A drunken woman, on the contrary, af- 1 ter once having perpetrated the act, never again hesitates. No, believe me, when once she has done that she is thoroughly lost.
 The dead hand now drew Trottie from the warehouse, and after passing through | darkness as profound as that she en- tered when first led from her home, the light began gradually to appear, and ob- jects, as of people passing her in the streets, became distinguishable. Then glare of light appeared in the distance, and presently she found herself standing near the Whitechapel gin shop in which she had intended to purchase bottle of rum, and then quilted it in disgust from the scenes she had witnessed. The same noise of shouts, quarreling and laughter which had appeared to her so repulsive, she now heard again, and with ingly have moved of, but the dead hand led her forward. She attempted to re- \ sist, but the pressure, which had hith erto been light, now became so strong as to be irresistible, and she was obliged to enter the place against her better judgment.
 The scene here was, if possible, more revolting than the one she had before witnessed. There were more persons in the place, both men and women, and these in grosser state of intoxication. Language of the most disgusting de- scription was banded about from one to the other, less in anger or jest than as ordinary conversation. One scene particularly attracted Trottie's attention. A mid6le-aged man, in state of maud lin drunkenness, was crying, and 8 dirty, disreputable-looking woman was at tempting to console him.
 "Don't take on so," she said; "you know that'n do no good-you can't cure her that way"
 "But she'll be dead before I get home," said the man.
 "Well, you can't help that, " said the woman; "it's very sad, but you can't help it. And when she's gone, shan't make you fashionable wife, but we shall be very happy together"
 Turning from this scene, Trottie wit messed another still more painful. A girl about thirteen years of age was en- deavoring to drag her father from the gin shop. He resisted, however, all her endeavors, and the poor girl cried bit terly. And then 8 quarrel took place between him and sailor, and fight ensued. The sailor was by far the most powerful of the two, his adversary being evidently of weak, dilapidated consti- tuition, apparently workman in one of the numerous factories in the neighbor- hood of Whitechapel.
 In short time the sailor had so great an advantage over his adversary as to prove that the latter had not the slight est chance against him. He had got the wretched man against the wall and was pommeGng him in the most terrific man. ner, the poor child screaming violently and begging the bystanders to interfere %ok h 1yS1 J4l genius of the place, however, was domi- nant at the time, and no one offered to render any assistance or to part the con- batants; on the contrary, they called out for fair play, the sailors cheering their companion, while those of the workman's party advised him to stand up and show himself man. At last the poor wretch fell, utterly senseless and exhausted, on Some of the bystanders evidently thought he was dead, and advised the sailor to decamp as rapidly as possible. He took their advice and left the place. The landlord of the house then sent for the police, and the poor girl remained by the side of her father, crying in most pitiable manner. Here, it is true, many offered to console her, but even their cancellations were mixed up with the odious influence of that locality.
 "Come, cheer up, my gal," said one man; "your father will be all right as soon as he's got the police to take care of him. Here, take drop; it'll do you good," and he placed some gin to the girls lips, but she pushed it away with horror.
 At last the police arrived, and the man was placed on stretcher. One of them then asked where he lived, and the girl told him.