St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1879-06-13
Mysteries of Sailor Town.
STUDY OF NEW YORK Low LIFE IN
THE GRAPHIC.

| THE GRAPHIC.
New York's principal sSailor Town
lies about Water street. Go dowr
where you find English, German an,
Norwegian flags hanging over certai,
small, dingy saloons and you are il
''SailOr Town." Here, in twos ant
threes, sitting in doOrways, are the wo
men of Sailor Town. In the morning
slOuchy, slovenly creatures in dirty
gowns and tumbled hair. Frequen
cropping ont of black and discoIore,
eyes. Beauty not much extant in Sail
or Town. Even mediocrity of comeli
ness is scarce and most are pOsitiyel,
ugly. Some of the dens are saloons apt
some are not. Some ground foo
apartments opening on the street Civ,
you the impression of saloons. There
are bars, Il few bottles and glasses, sew
eral women sitting either in the door.
way OF on rough benches, but no whis
ky. Only syrup, soda and unlicensed
drinks. Whisky, when used, is brought
from next door. All day these female.
are running about Sailor Town. Al
home anywhere, be it bar, den, the
street or corner grocery. Range of fla.
miliarity extends to certain limits
There is private understanding o.
great Importance to the welfare of Sail.
or Town. Business here requires co.
operation. If drunken man of the
sea makes disturbance there is acom.
mon interest in looking after him.
Toward evening the females most
prominent about Sailor Town develor
calico gowns, ribbons and shiny, we'll
creased hair. Beyond this in dress thew
seldom aspire. 1t is a perpetual calico
party in Sailor Town. Comfort here
All on an equality of dress, sin and dirt
Don't live for appearances. No A BIS
with thousands pinching and starving
to keep up the style off G DIS with mill
ions. Receptions daily at the little soda
and syrup den and any body's of the
elite with dollar in hand. No gliding
to vice in Sailor Town. A plain, una
dorned article. Flies are of the stupid
est possible description. Spiders stu
pid also. Flies crawl into these parlors
with eyes wide open. They know the
spiders will devour them; they go
they are devoured then they gather
up thelr own remains, or the remains
are kicked out; somehow they are suf-
ficiently restored to crawl or be carried
to a shipping office, and after few
days Oft soundings are able to turn to
and go to work. The sailors enjoy
ment of his reVels is of short duration.
Say about four hours after landing. Re-
malnder 4 drunken dream. She cares
tor him. Nurses him from a bottle
bottle of rum. Most of the time abed
up stairs, drunk. Is not relieved of his
wages all at once. Prudence necessary
here as elsewhere. Business is busi ness,
aud every business has kinks of its own.
Take the sailors purse at once, and he'd
never come back. It's an object for
Sailor Town to keep its customers.
Men of the sea not occasional here.
Coming all the time. Process of skilled
depletion possibly performed on the
same individual two or three times a
year. Foremost hand well charged for
terrestrial comforts. Also, wheedled
out of half his cash. Siren is careful
tnat he throws none away elsewhere.
From this course occasional clawings.
scratchings and the black eyes spoken
OF above. She can deliver a knock
down blow if necessary. And also be
knocked down without material dam
age. Use is second nature, even down
to knockdOwns. -
The creature fits her surroundings
perfectly. She's the maid for the place.
She likes the life. Knows no other.