The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-08-16

A Street Scene in London on the Evening of
the Princess Beatrice's Wedding.
London Letter.
1t was getting near the witching hour. and
Leicester square, Haymarket, and Itch borne
street were crowded with carriages and cabs
carrying home from the theaterS quite as many
people would balance the population of an III
huential constituency. The noise dangerous
or muf1ied as the horses hoofs and the chariots'
wheels ratified on the stones or skated OH tho
asphalt. Now and then there was collision,
and rival whips would suddenly expatiate in
most Impressive oratory on their respective lack
OF dexterlty. Policemen were in the middle OF
all the wild run as calm and self possessed as
prebendaries in their stalls yet sometimes APP
parently as sure of never having to make another
beat as if they were half way through managing
machine.
On the sidewalk, walkers, loungers, steady
women hurrying home after work, sinful crea-
lures fastening in the streets, staggering guards
men, open mouthed foreigners, tardy newsvend-
eTs, early traftckers, men with a home and
wretches without one, young people who ought
to have been long in bed, sick ones who ought
never to have left it, beaming pickpockets and
detected ones, good souls bound some piOuS
work of redemption, and sinister mariners on
the watch to lay their nets, ntercrossed and
Jostled like ants or bees at their busiest time.
SCOTS oyster rooms on Coventry street had
almost exhausted its stock of Holsters, and the
staff was looking as apprehensive as Wellingtons
at Waterloo before Butchers arrival. At the
tavern around the corner the crisis at its
height Neither could you get in nor could YOU
get out Human stockades stopped up the en-
frances. AS was trying the second one in Great
Windmill street white cravated tippler, looking
like second magistrate after desperate chase,
was flung out of it by mere human pressure act
ing ii disciplined spring. He whisked past me-
and fell tight In the middle of a heap of rubbish
close to a building in process of erection.
Capital shot!' exclaimed sporting character,
abiding to the manner in which the singular
missile had made center in the heap and hole
in itself The tippler's head was bleeding pro-
fusely when picked up, but had not regained its
sober senses
Don't want claret," said he as he staggered
up, wiping the blood from his face. II ordered
whisky, you fool"
Then he suddenly got into furious rage and
though lone by his heap. began to hit furiouslv
right and left iii the space if engaged in IA life
and death meeting. Now and then he would
stop and begin TO speak and gesticuate like "a
man possessed of good arguments. The blood
running from his wound had Redeemed mis- shirt
and white tie. l had never seen anything SO
CHASTITY. The man was apparently not conscious
at all of the presence of the increasing crowd,
attracted by his antics. He was explaining that
he had just come from the marriage of the Prin-
cess Beatrice, at which he had assisted at the
special request of the Queen, who, he pre-
pared to say, ought to be proud TO be compared
to a washerwoman, and his rage overtaking him
again. he stretched out his two arms at full
length and began to shake them as if they had
got hold of an adversary's head. After awhile
he released his invisible foe but gave tremend-
kick in the same direction, as if to finish the
job Then he chilled the mob to the very bones
by uttering an ineXpressible cry of anguish and
jumping all the time if food or an army OF
rats or dogs after him. He needs have been
an uncommon gymnast at some time or other Of
his lfe for his bounces would have deserved ap-
plause in circus.
A policeman at last appeared and advised him
to 90 home. For instant he vaguely listened
to him as il emerging from dream. Then he
rushed into his arms. long-separated French
men do on meeting again. and it required u Sec
ond constable to unlock him from the first As
he was perfectly incapable they both took him
to the police station, where he submitted to
hydropathic treatment
In his hat, which we picked up afterward, was
a coronet