The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1877-04-28

here are your incipient Jack Sheppards,
Dick Turpins and Claude Duvals. Every
one of these mugs is already in the rogue's
gallery-all of them have served terms in
the county Jail or penitentiary, and they
are looking forward to the day, with par
donable pride, when some first class bur-
gary, or highway robbery, will enable
them to graduate with the honors of Au
burn or Sing Sing. On the corner of Bax-
ter and Worth streets, is the celebrated
Grand Duke theater, the boot blacks, news
boys, and rag pickers' temple of the drama.
Pick your steps, and mind how you 90, for
it's away under the ground-no where in
New 1ork-perhaps no where in the world
will you see exactly such an assembly.
That big fellow in the gray ulster, leaning
against the post with his hat slouched down
over his eyes, is a prominent Wall street
broker; that little man in the old brown
coat, who looks SO srspiciously about and
keeps his hands so tightly on his pockets
is a country clergyman-he has disguised
himself for the purpose of seeing the Grand
Duke, but the gamins know him at glance
and they'll go through him before he gets
out. Merchants, doctors, lawyers, boot
blacks, scavengers and thieves are all mixed
up together. There is a fetid sickly smell
of the sewers, mingled with stale pipes and
bad gin; but the audience of the Grand
Duke care nothing for these, they are used
to it; its aroma is sweeter to them than the
pure breath of the mountains or the fields.
We won't stay for the performance; let us
get up into the air-the sky is clear and the
stars are shining. Do you see that woman
standing over there; well, right on that
spot is where Mike Hennessey murdered
the policeman over twenty years ago. He
got away to California, and was of the gang
hung at Sonora for the murders at Ran
chere. That little house topping into the
street is where the Donovan family were
killed: and down in this cellar on the right
is where Portuguese Joe had the fight with
the three French sailors, and he cut them
all to pieces with a Spanish macheto, and
hid them undertake floor. There are lights
shining out from the upper windows of the
mission; perhaps some one up there is pray
ing to the Throne of Grace for mercy and
forgiveness to the sinners with which this
place abounds. | hope so; God knows
they need it more than the savages or the
heather. Where religion fails, trade and
commerce are becoming mighty mission
aries-their inroads are gradual but sure
and in few years nothing will remain of
the Five Points and the Grand Duke ex-
capt the accounts that You can delve from
the letters of some itinerant correspondent.
Tell them to beware of pious young men
down your way. We have just sent three
to States Prison, and have a small invoice
left. | regret to say, and acknowledge it
with humiliation, that one was a printer
and another newspaper correspondent;
this latter fact may have had something to
do with the moral declnation of the last
named worthy-but in the printers case
the cause is unfathomable, for we all know
that type sticking is rather moral bust
Observation-Disclosures and subscri bers gener-
ally forgetting to pay their bills, thereby
considerably removing all temptation to
reckless and extravagant expenditure
The printer had an undue liking for other
peoples overcoats, and the rascaliy news
paper correspondent amused himself with
the currency of the United States. In view
of these unfortunate facts, which | beg
you won't mention, where people have
asked my profession for the last two weeks
i have told them that | was an explorer.
! stood in need of some slight refreshment,
and had Just been exploring my overcoat
pocket for nickel that went down in the
lining last summer when was on visit
to the Centennial but | regret to say, like
the North Pole, it was not to be found.
! am aware that the ladies expect me
to give them some gentle hints as to
the prevailing fashions of the great me-
tropois, not to be found in Harper's Ba=ar
or .Nadame Demorests Veekly do this
with greater pleasure, because writing
fashion articles is my strong suit. | I'M
derstand the terms and idioms of fashiona-
BILE nomenclature and this fact will conse-
quently give grace and ease TO my fash
ion articles which the productions of mere
provincial writers would naturally lack.
| One of the most important as well as most
disgraceful innovations on established Gus
tom is the entire abolition of the magniti-
cent two story hustle which delighted and
amazed us of yore. Would You believe it,
women may now be seen on Broadway at
noon day in almost their natural shape,
gentle hump, about as big as q piece Of
chalk, being all that distinguishes the diff
ference between a Fifth Avenne belle and
( her more humble sister OF the Bowery. |
regret to say that trailing skirts have almost
entirely Disappeared | regret this more
particularly in the present condition Of the
streets. Last year, when the mud was an
kle deep, | could have followed in the wake
of fashionable lady from the Battery to
! Madison Square, and never have soled my
boots; but with the present VILE attenuated
skirts. alas, can do so no longer. The
skirts are worn with Diana sweep and an
! inverted al-scuttle accompaniment; point
! applique trimmings on the back Of the ears
and reaching to the eye-b rows are consid
I cred graceful. Russes are worn on the
elbows, feathers and flowers on the back
/ of the head, and the left hand pocket; Can
! ton Grape, trimmed down the middle with
six penny calico is also considered very be-
coming, with bows of Cardinal red, Pun
kin yellow, and Shamrock green down the
| sides. This style of trimming is highly
! esteemed in the Fourth, Sixth and Twelfth
| wards. am happy to state that the bet
! ter class of fashionable young ladies who
make beds, wash dishes, and sew bags,
| utterly reject the vile india rubber shoe
| which destroys the beauty of the foot; they
very properly considering that the posi-
| bilities of galoping consumption are not