, 1886-09-03
SCENES IN CASTLE GARDEN.
Among the Immigrauts-A Family Meet
inR-DeIuded Russians.

Among the Immigrauts-A Family Most-
i~ng-DsIuded Russians.
The interior of Castle Garden is like a
scene from a comic opera. Everything
is foreign. 1t is a great semi-circular
structure with as little useless orna-
mentation as a Kansas barn. The floor
is divided into compartments by low
ratings, and in each of these is a lunch
counter, a few benches, and a desk that
looks like an a%uctioneer's stand. From
one compartment, or pen. to another are
passageways Just wide enough to admit
one person at a time. When a fresh LOT
of immigrants arrive the desks are moved
up to the railing by these passages, and
all the people have to pass through and
answer the questions of the inspector.
The process is rapid, for at thiss stage all
that is learned is the immigrants name,
his occupation or trade. etc. If a man
is able to take care of himself he can
readily show it, and when there is any
doubt about it the inspector does not at
tempt to settle it. but passes the man
along into one of the neighboring pens,
there to wait a further and closer exam
nation. If in this examination the i'm
migrant can not show that he is pre-
pared to make his living without becom-
ing a burden to the community he is
taken up to Wards island to stay until
the vessel on which he came is ready to
return. He is then put on board, and
gets n free passage to his native land.
There are always immigrants in the
Garden. They are usually waiting for
the departure Of a train for the west.
SAna of than p Axna,t,,r .aIat,uae 70
call for them. and as they wait they
wander about in pairs, or groups, or loll
on the benches Just like the choristers in
an opera. The difference is that the
choristers are usually arrayed in their
best gems. and so present an attractive
spectacle of gayly trimmed short dresses,
bright faces, and a general air of fes-
tivity. In the garden the short dresses
are to be seen and all the unique styles of
apparel known to European peasantry,
but the fine color are in the huge bun
dies on the floor. if present at all, and
the faces bear expressions of fatigue and
and sadness. Women stalk about in
skirts that reach just below the knees,
the legs being protected from view and
the weather by heavy leather boots like
those worn by Maine lumbermen. Many
of the men wear knee brooches, and caps
with feathers.
Varied are the emotions expressed by
the people congregated in the Garden.
Watching them from the window in the
secretary's Office, which is one story
above the floor. 1 saw a woman suddenly
leave the lunch h was preparing for
herself and several children and rush
across the pen with arms outstretched
and mouth wide open in an exaggerated
expression of joy. She ran full tilt into
the embrace of a man who had Just en-
tered, and they Rugged and kissed Zach
other, and danced up and down extrava-
gantlv for three minutes. The children
came f1ocking about, some little shyly,
as If they were only slightly acquainted
with the stranger, or were only distant
relatives. He gave them all hearty pa
ternal greetings, and they returned to
the lunch and ate together. 1t were easy
enough to build up a pretty romance
that scene or about the young
couple in another pen who sat with their
arms about each others waists and
smiled sns smiled.
But vhatai the sounds 81 moaning
and violent weeping from people IN d
O adjoining the reception hall. If the
rough garden can be so digniied? Sim
ply a family of deluded Russians, who
thought they were coming to a country
where bread grew on the trees and
houses waiting for them. The interpre-
ters have told them their fate, hat they
must return by the same steamer that
brought them over. for they have not