Mexico weekly ledger. (Mexico, Mo.) 1855-1956, 1886-03-04

making crow-tracks on the uncouth
stone. The only effect it now pro-
duces on the average visitor is to
make him quote from Shakespeare
''What fools these mortals be!''
I saw citizen of Mexico in the
city the other day. He was walking
down Chatham street and VAS then
in the vicinity of Baxter street. Be
fore 1 could hail him he was swallow
ed up and lost to view. If there is a
case Of mysterious disappearance in
your neighborhood, you can assure
the family on my responsibility that
the father and husband is no doubt
revolving around in the short thor
oughfare last mentioned as an in
tegral part of Kaleidoscope or dis.
solving view, Of which rich pants at
sixty cents pair I; magnificent Prince
Alberts coats at dollar and a half
apiece vest at ninty cents a dozen;
silk hats at forty cents, and all other
necessaries of the toilet in proportion
form the other component parts. 1t
is solemn fact that the Sidewalk
clerks" Of the establishments which
monopolize Baker street figure every
day in assault and battery cases at
the police courts. These clerks are
the most persuasive creatures on
earth, and their persuasiyeness is OF
kind Of John L. Sullivan texture
that few can resist. If Baxter street
consisted of more than three blocks.
which it does not, the evil would long
ago have demanded vigorous meas.
ures for its abatement. When the
visitor enters the street he finds him
self under a perfect arbor Of clothing
hung on high from both sides and
almost meeting over the centre Of
the narrow driveway. This pro-
duces semi-darkness that is usefnl
to the merchants" in various ways.
Before the visitor has progressed a
dozen steps be is not solicited to en-
ter but is taken hold OF and literally
''ired" into an interior the strength
of whose mingled odors is very near
iy equal to that of the rufiian who
plays the part of catapult. The prices
casually quoted above are no exag-
geration nor is this description, in
any sense. Such articles of clothing
as coat, vest and hat are removed
from the victim to the tune of honey
ed words in spite OF the feeble resist
lance he is able to offer. Similar
articles from the merchants" stock
in trade are substituted and every
effort short of garroting is made to
effect sale. If the visitor is OBJ
duratc, he gets out after time and
is Immediately nsbbed by the myr-
, midons of the merchants next door
neighbor and is forced through an
, experience similar to the first. IL
the visitor can afford 1t, he purchases
his release and il not, be is turned
, out of the opposite end of the mill
/, from where he started, in condition
q of decentralization that would make a
|, threshing machine sigh with envy.
If Mr.. -- is actually in Baxter
street and gets out, he will find Eliz-
I abeth street opening before him and
}, will no doubt enter it in his effort to
= escape. Here his experience will be
A of different and indescribabie kind,
= but quite as pregnant Of results. II
n be lives through the experience he
J. will forever abjure the naughty East
n Side of New York. Con consulting
% my notes, I find that sufficient time
q has elapsed since I saw the gentle
a man to land him either in the bosom
10 of his family or at Bloomingdal'
70 Asylum. 1t is to be hoped that tn
m former now rejoiccs in his presence.
,o 1t is refreshing to find a business
man now -a-dsys who takes the hon
esty of his fellow man for granted
Down here on Broadway. just withil
- the circumference of the maelstron
Of brokers and other spectators tha
whirls and eddies around the stock
produce and other exchanges, is a
eating house Of no ordinary pattern
's- It is called the Buffet" The furr
Il, iture consists OF large number G
he costly and elegant buffets upo
I'D which are displayed every variety G
n food suitable for lunch that Is known
'ct cooked IN every way that was eve
er invented The customers help then
es selves TO anything in sight that the
It. want The price Of each article
~ displayed and the customer pays at
pie little desk by the door, the man VIII
Of presidcs there being the only visibi
es- person connected in any way wit
M. the establishment. The custom,
EN- can eat dollars worth and sett
- with fifteen cents If he likes, but he,
al 10 where the trustfulness Of this u
.ae paralelled proprietor comes in. III
ith only safeguard he has is his obvio'
ers theory that clothes, in spite of som
,ng body, I ferget who,do make the ma
ar for his eagle eye covers the sing
pa- entrance at the front and man wl
IN has not the air of one well-to-do,
=, 1u.tul zsT L.. - x~i.,nn -,