Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1879-06-07
Mysteries Of SailOr Town.

ASI.Df VI NEW YORK LOW LIFE In THE GRAPHIC
New New lorks principal Sailor Town" lies about
WAFER street. Go down where you ind Eng
nsn, German and Norwegian flags hanging over
certain small, dtngy saloons and YOU ara In
ttn TOWN. Here, in twos and threeS, SIT
ING In doorWayS, are the women OF Sailor
IOWn. In the morning, slouchy. siovenly craa
lures In dirty gowns and tumb!ed hair Ere
auent cropping out OF black and d;scolored
eyes Beauty not much extant In sailor TOyn
Even medlocrlty OF cOmeliness is scarce ana
mCst are positively ugly. Some of the dens are
s sac ana some are not. Some ground.tioor
impression or saloons. There are nara. A few
ootties and glasses, several women sitting either
ln tne doorway or on rough benches out no
drinks. Whisky, when used is broughf from
next door. All day these females are RUNNING
aDeut Sailor Town. AT home anywhere, De II
par, den, the street or corner grocery. RANCE
of familiarity extends to certain Limits Tha1e
Is private understanding of great Importance
TO the welfare OF Sailor Town. Business. here
sea makes disturbance there is a Common in
terest In looking after him.
Toward evening the females most prominent
about Sailor Town develop calico gowns, RIO
oohs and shiny, well-greaSed hair Beyond this
10 dress they seldom aspire. IL Is q 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 styIe of
Ds with millions. Receptions daily at the
l n1y SODA and syrup den and anybody's OF the
10 Sailor Town. A plain, unadorned article.
Flies are OF the stupidest possible DESCRIPTION.
Spiders stupid also. Flies crawl into these mar.
iors with eyes wide open. They know the
spiders will devour them; they go; they are de-
Voured then they gather up their own remains.
or the remains are kicked out; some low they
to shipping Office, and after a few DAYS on
sOundlHgs are able to turn to and go to work, The
sailors enjoyment OF his revels IS OF short dura.
tlon. Say about four hours afte- landing. Re-
a no no 1,fs
Nurses MIN from bottle-a bottle OF rum
MOST or tie time abed up stairs, druak Is not
renewed OF his wages all at once. Prudence
necessary here as elsewhere Business is bust
ness, and 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
sional here. Coming all sthe time. Process of
skilled depletion possibly performed on the
same Individual two or three times a year.
forts. Also, wheedled out of half his cash
Siren is careful that he throws none away else
where: From this course occasional Cravings,
She can deliver a knockdown blow II necessary.
And also be knocked down without material
damage. 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. Doesn't want to leave It.
Wouldn't work In a kitchen or factory. Can
here lie abed till noon. Is by nature shiftless,
slovenly, Halter Of regularity, lover OF husks.
Cares naught for your opinion or mine or So
ciety's or the worlds. Lives In Sailor Town;
always lived In 1t; never gets farther than the
Bowery. Never desires to get farther. Doubt
ful II ever she was On Broadway or Fifth avenue
In her Life: Catherine street furnishes her
wardrobe. Doubtful IL she knows OF the exiS-
tence OF the Herald, Times, Tribune, World, or of
Samuel Tilden or Roscoe Conkling or Tennyson.
the world s famed ones are blanks to her. Never
ing on vests and pantaloons from daylight TIN
dark at IS per week. Society doesn't offer her
a premium to get creditable livelihood. It's
Doesn't formulate her ideas in words. But she
practices. What's responsibility to her? She
wasn't brought up with such notions Reform
There's the whole argument In nutshell. She's
legitimate production OF generations, bit OF
fungi grown In damp and noxIous cavern.
her. The gulf twixt her ana YOU is too wide to
De bridged over In one or even two generations.
Had She father? Had she mother? OF course
But she probably never had the chance to study
her genealogical tree. Had she sisters? or
brothers? Very likely. But the family increased
10 almost unconventional and irregular fashion.
Paternity was matter OF circumstance De-
name. Was born so. WHAT'S in her was In her
from the beginning, and even before Just as
the propensities OF tigers and rattlesnakes are
kind. SO is she. But she's not a dove: not even
soiled dove. Never was one beware how you
put her In cage OF doves under correction. For
she is unsafe. Naturally, of course
In the den OF syrup and soda you need not
long wait the arrival OF slovenly shirt. sieeved
slouchy, low proved man. That's the man of
The house. Keeps order. Keeps it ri ct arn,is
Is as pleasant as a bull dog socially Tolerates
10 louDgers, nor pry1ng curiosity. II you can't
explain yourself, he can: Heutell YOU "to take
master Of the situation. Money comes faster
than you think to Sailor Town. Man OF the sea.
with $40 In his pocket, puts it in circulation
Hundreds OF them. Rich little placer, this. and
well worked. Unlike the gold fields, new sup
plies OF treasures always pouring In.