The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-05-15

stand the strain to which they we're subject
ing themselves They were not so much
SHINING as sinned against for 1 cannot be-
ieve, if these resorts were not like great open
whirlpools sucking them in from the
thoroughfares outside, that a 1.-THE of these
young people would have been found in
these surroundings.
II turned back to Hester street and went
into the dance hall kept by McGlory. Here
was to be seen a gathering which ought to
make every practical Christian in the city rise
up and declare that the blot shall be re-
moved. 1t was large hall, murky with
tobacco smoke, floor filthy from the slop
pings from the trays of the score or more ill
visaged youths who, in shirt sleeves and
aprons, looked up the wants of the patrons
in the drinking line. They were very busy,
for the place was well filled. The vast ma
lority of the young men in the place were
under twenty years of age. Hardly any OF
the girls seemed to be more than seventeen
years old. 1t was the rare exception to find
an older one. l sat in the place over an
hour, and noted with eye and ear enough to
furnish the subject matter of hundred SER
mons. The dancing was of the most OBJ
Gene character. These girls, with shame
less gestures, went through the figures
of quadrille, while sitting about
were hundreds of young lads
Some of them, it struck me, were pay
ing their first visit to the resort. All
males entering were charged fifteen cents,
while the girls were admitted free. In the
entrance, looking over this living panorama
of wickedness, stood policeman in full uni
form. l don't know what he was there for.
The place has no license, l am informed, but
this fact did not prevent the sale OF beer
freely; but when / asked for a strong drink
the waiter gave me a searching look and then
said that he could not give it to me. Again
and again was asked to dance and solicited
by the girls to treat them to drinks There
were numerous suggestions of what was
worse. 1t was shortly after II o'clock when
L left the house, and the throng was then
pouring in, making the atmosphere almost
unbearable with its tobacco fumes mingled
with the dampness from the street, for every
window was closed that the sounds of riot
should not get to the outer air l can easily
picture how a young man led into such
scenes as this might be coaxed still further
to lose his self-respect and his hold on God
and the church in a single night"
And what suggestions of reform came to
your mind?'
Il hardly know, but it certainly does ap-
pear that the police can act There is GER
tainly disorderly conduct and that is
punishable in some way. The police know
these characters by name and face They
can step in and force this crime to hide its
hideousness, for think this very open con-
duct of it now is an important factor in
leading young girls into bad habits. The
dance is the excuse for attendance, and then
come i'll these other and more degrading
features l do not know what 1 shall do l
certainly shall call the attention of my con-
ference to the facts and ask that the church
make fight against this shocking evil 1
went out that night prepared to see wretched
sights, but l had no idea of the extent to
which this evil had grown. 1t is Shoreditch
reduced, and all the while the law guardians
of the city stand by and look on without
raising a hand to stay the spread of the
plague. 1 know it is spreading, fer within
year have observed the growing influence
of these resorts in undermining the morals
OF young people in my own parish, who,
under other Influences, might grow up use
full, respectable men and women"