The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1885-05-15
LOWER STRATA I'M LONDON.
Sketches from Life in Billingseass and
Petticoat Lane.

the notorious fish market, is almost too
novel and lively a place even for the
rambler with p%ropensities favoring low
tide life. The market itself and the
street leading to and from it, parallel to
the Thames is indescribably nasty" as
the English would say. Sometimes you
pass through Billingsgate without hear
ing any of the foul language for which
the place has become so famous. But
usually in the busy season of the day
you r more liable to hear language
which is not adapted to the drawing
room. 1t seems as though the fish
mongers had created an atmosphere
wherein they considered it impossible
to effect a bargain without invoking the
aid of profanity. Doubtless many OF
the latest styles in the way OF oaths may
be trac d directly to Billingsgate.
Nothing could be stranger by contrast
than a little CONNECTION stand which |
discovered one day right down in the
heart of that blasphemous community.
Over the cornice was the legend
Whatsoever q man soweth, that shall
he also reap" Below the counter was
another inscription: "Our motto, Filter
your words" This wee lonely effort at
reform was almost comical in its isola-
ton,
Alas for the modern disciples OF
Dickens, Petticoat lane is fast becoming
q Renaissance. Indeed, it does not ex-
list in rame any longer, for its enter
prising citizens write their addresses as
Middlesex lane now. For a long time
it seemed impossible to purge the local
ity, but rigid police surveillance and
other causes have combined to effect
quite a metamorphosis. One could al
most be sentimental enough to regret
this. There was something exhilarat-
ing in the pristine lawlessness of the
place. Never, l suppose, was there a
more thoroughly rotten community any
where, and yet one which more com
pletely baffied the police. It was as if
tue inhabitants were in league with each
other, and operated always on the NUT
ual protection basis. You might saun-
ter down the street with a watch in your
pocket, but there was little hope that
you could yer return with it, as crowds
could be called together at airy moment
for purpose of ri1ing an unwary
strangers pockets or for the purpose of
baking the police. All these things are
still measurably true Of the Lane TO-
lay.
Sunday is the great occasion in this
part OF the city, and people who do not
'aek in courage often make it a point to
go around there at hat time for
bargains. OF course it is presumed that
Ill the articles for sale are stolen prop
srty, but it is impossible to fix guilt
upon any one. From time immemorial
The police have been in the habit of
making for "Petticoat lane" Gas 1 shall
continue to call 1t, rather thar indorse
new name) whenever n important
burglary has been committed. Know
ng the f~utility of trying to convict the
guilty party, they often than
otherwise advise the loser to buy his
property back. The costliest gems and
articles of apparel are often to be
1IlSIc 4ol IL ulciC song. when
man has found" a watch worth 800
he is frequently quite anxious to dispose
Of it as early as possible, even though
he shall get but $40 or $15 for it.
The moment q stranger enters Petit
coat lane he is spotted by the citizens,
The majority of whom are Jewish. II lie
is suspected of being in search of some
man or some piece of property, up go
two or three fingers, and the word is
passed along the lines by a secret signal
system. so that every III is on the look
out. If you purchase u silk handker-
chief, it is we'll for you to clutch it with
both hands until you are quite away,
else it will be nipped out Of your pocket
and sold again before you have got a
block distant.
Petticoat lane is great fori it's exchange
bargains also.
A shrewd representative Of the needy
fraternity can readily make a living sim
ply by this process. Perhaps he is all
rags and tags"when he enters the street.
divines the articles which the pro-
p~rietors are specially anxious to get rid
of, and piece by piece exchanges his
seedy outfit for similar but better pieces;
and these again for pieces still better,
until at last he energies from the further
end of the lane a real swell.
The restaurants are also great feat
ure. You can get a meal that certainly
lacks not in quantity, whatever may be
said of the quality, for three or four
pence. Sausages and potatoes constitute
a most popular dish, and may be purchase
ed in a score of places at q pennya dish.
The street CRIES are, alas, also deterl-
Grating. Legislation has been aimed at
them as a popular nuisance, and those
which aforetime possessed much of al
most historical interest are now heard
no more. Some of the s~ing-song cries
by vendors of crumpets, water cresses,
brawns, shrimps, fruits andvegetables
are, however, quite paintive and strik-
The milkman shouts milk, ho!"
and leaves the pint or quart of each
in a can Of his own on the door
to be claimed and taken up by
one of the occupants when the people
are astir. The newsboys yell "Piper!"
Just as they do in every American city.
while beguiling the public into making
a purchase. The beggars sometimes
try tile sanctimonious racket and NAV
be seen singing II do believe, I now be-
&c, or some equally pious hymn
the intervals between their profane
on things about them md
their coarse soto voce jests among
The sweepers at the street crossings
make fair wages out of the
tips which passing pedestrians are
pleased to bestow upon them. One,
who holds the fort at the top of Regent
recently died, and an inventory
of his worldly wealth developed the
fact that he had accumulated about G45
by means OF such quantities. There
were sweepers ready to give e3 or "a
Cor tho ,,oci{iop