The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1877-11-08
Letter from Boston.
Correspondence of the Journal.
ROSTON Nov <

have we plodded up and down the busy
streets, in search of rare bits Of food for
the hungry note book. And what a scene
presents itself to the eager cleaner only
in days walk about such a city as Bos-
ton! Where, save on the pavements, could
we see mingled so much variety in human
nature? Side by side are jostled the ele-
gantly dressed lady, fresh from the rare
efied air of Beacon Hill, and the shabbily
clothed shop woman, whose wan face tells
the pitiful tale of overwork and scanty
comforts. Almost arm in arm moves
the stately government official, princelv
proud, and some forlorn, detected looking
tramp, whose very highest thought in life
is how he is to gain an entrance to the
next back yard. Weary, worn faces ;
bright and beautiful ones; cold, calm.
and cloudy ones, look out from the great
moving panorama of our public thorough
fares. Could we have but one glimpse at
the Individual life of the hurrying throng,
what a picture ofluxury and poverty would
be spread before us. The extremes of life
in Boston are terribly startling. Families
living upon Beacon street and Common
wealth avenue, spend from fifty to one
hundred thousand per annum; and yet
every dollar stamps itself right in the i'm
mediate household. Most of such have a
summer residence at Newport, or other
popular watering places, where no small
fortune expended in competing, in points
OF elegance, with equally wealthy neigh
bors. The style of winter living in the
city is upon the most elaborate plan I:
so when the annual financial reckoning
comes, not even the widows mite finds
its way into the box for charity. The
other extreme is the never changing story
Of destitution, shame, and life weary hui
manity. Among some of the dark and
torbidding streets at the lower portion of
the town there are tenement houses, where
thirteen or fourteen families are hudded
together. Many of the pale, pinched faced
little ones of the motley company have
never seen the sunlight Many mother
| finds the complete family wardrobe une-
! quail to the task of keeping the bite Of win
ter's frost from her nursing, and scarce
| food enough for the rich mans dog comes
to the barren table. What wonder despair
drives such to crime9 And increase of crime
is Overlooking our prisons 1t is not infre-
quent that we find a ludicrous mixture of
the blue bloOded stock and the plebian
| brother. Is not the classic Beacon Hill,
which has been for more than half a cen
fury the favorite place of residence for the
| first families, backed by an immense set
Element of African citizens! 1t would be
hard to define just where Beacon hill
merges into Niger Hill; for surely, the
colored people are thickly settled to the
very yards of the Mount Vernon street
aristocrats, and rightfully claim the whole
of the hill, from Joy street to Charles. 1t
was a sorry joke when the Baptist church
on Charles street was hidden at the auc-
ton sale to a colOred congregation. Now
Sabbath after Sabbath the descendants o.
Gov. Andrews, T. B. Aldrich, James T
Field. and the Boston Derbys and Parsons
can look out upon the gaily decked Sam
bos and Topseys as they pour of the hill
toward their place Of worship. Untortu
nately, too, in the matter OF regular at
tendance at church, they can we'll put tc
shame the average American church goer
and there is sure to be a goodly company
Still, many of the substantial residents
cling to the dying aristocracy of sucl
streets; and it is not rare to find, ever
scattered among the most squalid local.
ties of the city, a fine Old family. \ few
years since, to the establishment of every
one, Oliver Wendell Holmes purchased al
elegant residence on the new extension 0
Beacon street, tar out on the Mill Dam
Staid, sober, and so utterly free from caste
as is the life OF the respected poet, it i
said that only one motive could have in
duced him oleaye the ancient homestead
Oh Charles street. 1t has been his habit
always to watch the rising and setting
SUM- and 50 mach has it become II por-
ton Of his existence, that when some OBJ
struction in the rear of his former house
debarred him the privilege, he immedi-
ately removed, saying "But a little time
is left me, and | must not lose one of my
sunsets"
But we have wandered too far into the
fields Of comparison, and given too much
space to the imperfect sketch OF the lives
of Bostonians. Anovel style of entertain
ment is adopted among the fashionable
teminnes, and is fast becoming settled
fact, by gratifying results in some locali-
ties. The formal ceremonious call is no
longer a part Of the heavy tax upon the
amount Of society dignity, and the elabo-
rate card case is to be aired no more ON
| those festive occasions In its place Il quiet
reception is substituted, and each lady is
known among her friends to have a spec
al day in each week when she may be
found at home, dispensing coffee and cake,
after the manner of the famous New Years
calls of our western friends. 1t is said to
be much more social and pleasing; fornot
unfrequently the favored masculine drops
in. And whenever did lady feel paid for
the perpleXities of an elaborate toilet, if
there We're none of the other sex to ad-
mire! Thus we find improvements in so
cial as we'll as political economy; but then,
petticoats and policy are always in close
communion.
Something antique is the correct thing
l. A., l. Il a.,