Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1885-11-18
THE STRAND BY NIGHT.

| ASHAMED" writes to the London Iele-
graph after visit to the capital II hardly
know how to begin, or the words it is fit
should use, to tell what the Strand appear
ed like to me the other night, compared
with the peace around US, or even with the
street as used to know it. It was very
much lighter than the Strand used to be
formerly. The noise was deafening. The
crowd seemed scudding to and fro, as if
bent on some expedition of intense haste.
Hansoms were rushing by one moment as if
driven by excited fends; next moment there
was block of carts and carriages, almost
locked close together, from curb TO curb. /
would not have dared to cross the road for
fear of q horrible death. Still the shouting
continued and the lights blazed and the
people hurried by-no rest, no pause, no
peace, not for moment! stood by the
street corner and held on to the iron post
and tried to realize the facts CT the process
sion and as looked and listened to the
hideous cries, said to myself, surely can
not let my wife into the secret OF all that is
going on here' Presently the confusion so
| to speak, disentangled itself and became
plain-too vilely plain. Men were calling
voices, but louder still boys and girls-young
things of girls not Is years old some Of them
were vending vociferously prints which |
| do not think ought to be sold even in Sc
| cret. I had heard Of these distressing pub
locations, and I knew they were TO he OBJ
tanned in London; but had no idea that
the police would allow them to be sold and
| by young girs-shoeless, impudent little
waifs-in the Strand at night. suppose
girls and boys no bigger than themselves
purchase this pestilent trash and con-
sumo their prurient horrors out Of sight Of
parents and guardians. II is san awful shame,
| sir, when you come to think of it, this foul
ing the minds of the young to turn dirty
penny. don't care what the motives of
the people may be who SOW such printed
poison broadcast. No good, no possible
| good, can come of it being hawked aboutby
young folk in the open Strand OF night.
| While was standing by the post girl Of
about II, most ragged and dirty, pushed a
picture paper into my face. 1t was u paper
about the devil, I think, illustrated with q
wood cut frontspiece of burlesque hnssies,
such as one sees in comic operas. / am sure
by the girls leer it was something vile. At
| her heels came little fellow, street urchin,
not higher than my elbow, bawliug out an
other precious fly leaf concerning Satan in
his character ofprofessed Lothario. My ydif-
fculty in this matter, you see, is to lind
words to tell you what saw and heard, aad
| at the same time not to give oflense. bad
not been standing by the post ten minutes
before an evil looking fellow sided up to me,
and, taking small package from under
meath his jacket, held it up close to my eyes.
My first impulse was to knock the fellow
down. / thought he wanted to rop me.
However, looked down at the villains par
eel, as big as pack of cards. And cards
they were, with label outside printed in
French saying what kind of cards. had
heard of these precious "transparencies"
before, years ago at college. But did not
think it possible to find such gross things
vended in the public street under the eye of
the police. l got rid of the scoundrel
with some sharp words. On that same oc-
casion I saw mere mites of children, little
more than toddling babies, selling fusees
and running to open cab doors within an
hour of midnight; and saw pale women,
with children in their arms, importuning
the passersby for aims, and slouching viii
lians, with cunning glances, on the lookout
to snatch purses and pick pockets if they
had the chance.
presently the crowd increased and the
Strand became almost impossible. The
theaters were disgorging their audiences,
and gentlemen in evening dress and ladies
with lace wells over their heads hurried
along seeking for cabs. All the while the
young men and old men, girls and boys,
with the scandalous literature for sale, push
ed their wares into the faces of delicate
mothers and wives, and fair young maidens,
huddling close to the male escorts, like
frightened sheep Just then I saw gen.
tleman, accompanied by lady, both in
evening dress, hail lettering hanson. The
gentlemen was about to place his arm across
the near wheel to protect the lady's dress,
when burly rufian tried to push him
aside. This 'eres my cab,' said he. Your
cab p replied the gentleman, what do you
mean?' yes, it's my cab. I ketcheG
it. I run near 'alf mile to get it, and
I wants six pence for my trouble"
The cabman stood upon his perch looking
down unconcerned. Meanwhile the gentle.
man quietly, but firmly, pushed the fellow
aside, handed the lady in, and gave the ad-
dress to the driver, who still hung about as
if in league with the rough on the pavement
Then the gentlemen, white with anger, gave
the fellow two pence, at the same time say.
ing: You did not fetch the cab. 1t was
standing by the pavement. Drive on, coach
man. All right, my bloomin' swell,
shrieked the cab opener after the retreatins =
travellers; I knows what you are, and your
flash Moll.' At that moment policeman
came along, and the fellow, under the very
nose of authority, repeated his stale trick OF
extortion.
"All this time there was not moments
quiet or decency in this main London thor-
oughfare. The sellers of obscene litera ure
the beggars, the thieves, the idlers, swearers
and blasphemers mixed with the respectable