Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1878-04-03
NUMBER 20.
LONDON Low LIFE.
The Experience Of One who Became q
Part Of that Life for Time.
Chicas :. prsst

e1RuC uebcIlptlve VI III appear 70 IN
, quently in public print that almo
everybody is more or less familiar wit
K it. Generally speaking, however, thes
= letters treat of the great city a. it q
pears to the observer at its best. Its lO1
life, in all its shame and sadness, is nc
' very often portrayed. In a late isu
I the New York Herald published . com
E munication sent to it by "An America
, Tramp" in which are many interesting
sketches of low and vicious life ~ act
, ually seen by the writer, the principa
, matter of which we condense for tn
Post. DESTROYS of seeing the inside of
station house at his leisure, not as Wis
+ itor, but as prisoner, he took q police
. mans advice aud got drunk. Here i
what he says about it: Before | va
very drunk I found myself in charge O
two policemen, and was scen the solitary
inmate of narrow, cold stone cell, but
my solitude was of short duration, fol
the iron door soon opened to admit . va
grant who was twice ~ drunk ~ l was,
Before morning we had five in our cell.
So far, my method and its results were
all right, but my selection of the time
was unfortunate. 1t was on Saturday
that l was jugged, and l was informed
that, as the magistrates did not sit on
Sunday, / would have to remain where
/ was until Monday morning. This was
q little more than I bargained for, but it
could not be helped" His description
of how he and his contreres got along
isl sketched in lively style. It seems
that a man may live like fight
ing cock in one of these cells If he
only has a little money. ~ was sur
prised," says he, "to see that all my
companions ordered solid and substan-
tial breakfasts, and that, to pay for them
they produced the money from the queer,
est of places. One had the under side
of his wide susE enders upholstered with
pockets each about large enough to hold
shilling, another had half crown in
the lapel of his vest, while the third took
shilling from the folds of q veluminous
necktie." Oa Monday morning they
were marched before o magistrate who
made quick work of it. A policeman
kissed the book and said something that
was inaudible to all but his honor, who
Immediately said five shillings, or Ave
days" The five shillings were paid and
the FIVE days Of stone-breaking in the
prison yard escaped. Leaving the
gloomy abode Of justice the searcher
after low-life accompanied one of bis
fellow prisoners to place where break
fast could be obtained. After threading
| through back streets and alleys they
brought up before a rusty and tumble
down old building in a marrow, damp
and dirty court. At one end of the
room which they entered there was a bar,
presided over by dirty looking man and
young girl; at the other was huge
coal fire, and the middle of the floor was
occupied by rude tables and benches
"About twenty blear-eyed people were
present, eating, drinking, and smoking.
A huge, debauched. looking woman slap
ped my conductor over the shoulder, and
asked him where he picked up the
bloke,' meaning me, of course. Showing
her aside and pushing two half-grown
girls away, we seated ourselves ut q table
and ordered two pints Of 'alf-and-
all. Soon a very pretty but poorly
clothed girl approached and asked If we
wanted anything to eat. My companion
said, Give her sixpence, mate, to get
pork and bread l did; she pitched
the coin up in the air, caught il in her
mouth, and went away Hhistling. She
soon returned with abundance of mate
rial, and in short time the pork was
broiled before the fire, and must say ]
never relished anything more than l rel
ished that bread, bacon and the half
and-half.' / began to feel that / was
verify tramp, for the food and warmth
made me comfortable and 1t home. Hav-
ing finished eur repast my companion
| produced from the mysterious pockets of
his clothing q black pipe, which he pro-
cecded to I'll and light in the most pro-
found silence. / summoned our bread
and bacon Hebe and gave her three
pence to buy me pipe and tobacco.
After its arrival / was soon in the land
of dreams" He did not sleep very long; !;
the laughter and quarreling and snatches
of songs forbade that. After another
pint of half-and- half they sailed forth.
As before they proceeded through back
streets and generally in silence, for the
genuine English vagrant seldom speaks
In open air, and At last they found them
selves standing before st. Paul's cathe-
dral. This had no great attraction for
them, 90 simply looking at it, they trav-
eled on, crossed London bridge, and ere
long reached an extremely marrow, dirty
street. Here they entered Q house,
plunged into cellar, and using the mar
rator's words, "found ourselves in :
room similar to the one we had formerly
entered, except that there Was no bar.
This was the sitting room and Kitchen oi
q cheap lodging house. gave the pro
prietor a sixpence, which entitled me "a
bed for two nights, with permission q
lenioy the freedom of the common room
|, and to cook at it, fres-for everyone II
|, cheap lodging houses cooks for himself
Nv comrade went to shelf, took down
. box, and taking therefrom teapot
two cups. te. and sugar, proceeded =
make tea, whiie / was dispatched 10 |
. convenient butcher shop 70 procur
; meat, butter and bread; ON my retur
. he played the part Of cook, and did !
! we'll. In this room wefe shout twent,
persons Of both sexes, principally tramp
| and thieves. The Conversation. or
: should rather say remarks (ss this cla1
, 4 people seldom indulge in c0uvessa
! tion), was exceedingly low and Obscene
. Az evening came on, the number IN
,eased to about fifty, including men
! women and children, and the curaing
: smoking, etc, made the place resembI
: lone Of Swe.ienboFg's visions Of hell.
In this wretched place thsy remaine'
all night, our American siGht-aeer woo
ling sleep in vain amid tbs discoFdan
. noises of sensuality and I'm.
! An AAsctionaas Via