The Labor enquirer., 1884-07-05

u A Il + M A l N I AIN TIL E M .
I looked at the disappearing candidate
for prison fare and was puzzled.
My study was disturbed by whirring
noise, evidently from basement few
feet below the sidewalk. Inside were
long rows of girls working at sewing
machines. What are they looking so
sorry about? I thought, but decided
they were so absorbed in the variety of
designs in shirt fronts and the lovely
patterns in spring overalls, that they.
had forgotten to go to dinner. Perhaps
I was mistaken as some of them stopped
long enough to eat rapidly some dark
looking bread. I gave up the study, for
across the way saw case Of pure des-
potism. A Dago had two bags of refuse,
and a small girl was below the sidewalk
gathering paper, bones and rags which
were better than she wore, while the
Dago did nothing but exhort in such a
way that the child seemed afraid of him.
Near by group of boys were playing
peg top. The costumes of the Chicago
boys were of great variety. Some had
very long fringed coats and some had
none at all. One would think their
clothes were not made for them, but for
their fathers. The boy whose clothes
were most remote from the latest style
and the most ragged, went after his top
which had been thrown some distance
away. Coming back he ogled three
school girls.
CAV, Skinney's mashin," the boys all
cried.
cav dey're struck on my shape" said
Skinney.
l was about to turn away from such
scandal but two of the boys were down
in the dirt fighting. l parted them and
asked what it was about.
"Cully pegged my top in two and wont
let us peg at his'n."
1 compelled Gully to submit his top to
the ordeal, and went on thinking the
whole world was playing peg top.
saw man acting strangely, leaning
against church. When 1 inquired
what allied him he muttered something
about poor whisky and sat down. To
describe Chicago whisky to you would
take to long, but that was what made
him faint.
1 took him to the lake and sprinkled
him until he was better, then he told me
Jolly Mike at the Hole in the Wall had
taken all his money and thrown him
out. Hole in the Wall was saloon.
Jolly Mike had right to do as he did
for he paid $500 tax for the privilege.
You will not know my dear child what
a dollar ($) is, and it is very hard to ex-
plain. 1t was given to a slave for ten
hours work to get bread and water for
his family; but when an employer gave
it for Havanas, it went up in two hours
smoke.
You will laugh to hear about saloons
and churches. Both were places where
people went to be overshadowed by
spirits. Churches were for landlords
and employers and saloons were fol
slaves. Saloons we're considered wrong
by the church folks, so they were taxed
so much that it was not necessary to tai
churches.
ANY man no matter how poor hi
clothes, could 60 into saloon If he hat
money. This virtue was claimed for th'
church but was seldom practiced. Poo
clothes would be thrown out.
The slaves were very decided in thei
belief in the superiority of saloons owe
churches, for they visited the saloon
seven days in week and the churche
part of one day Another adyantag
was the free lunch. Over the door c
some saloons could be seen drawing {
lean man and a fat man. The loquac
ious chrome of the lean man was mad
to say:
"My friend, how do you get SO health
q and fat ?" ''.'
|. The colloquial power of cheap pair
/ were developed in favor of the fat ma
/ as follows" r.
because I get my beer and lunch I
) Jehn's place" -. ~
: No such trade marks were shown :
the church. They fed tramps SO pr
' yately that few ever heard OF it, aithtoue :
e their book said, let your good works
a seen Of men. One member was