Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1889-06-22

Grimy. Atmospheric sensation of
Crime everywhere. Air thick with
civilized savagery. Savagery3 Worse.
Fungi of an artificial life Human mold
of artificial conditions. Accumulated
rottenness of generations, Born in Lon
don. Bred in London. No moro able
to live out Of London than swamp moss
in dry field. Evolution of unnatural
conditions. Human toadstools. Same
color Short lived.
Yet blooming children here. Live
In cellars. Cheeks red. pictures of
health" at five. Lean in body and Wis
age gnarled and bony at thirty-fire.
Soon ripe, soon rotten. Willows, not
oaks. Willow venerable at sixty; ready
to fall. Oak then in its early prime.
Same correspondence in human growths.
Side street opening into Drury park.
Dim. Let's go down it. Open door.
Private residence. OF native Femi
One chair. One table. One teacup
Plate. Fragments of penny repast
Print over mantelpece. Highly col
ored. Return of Prodigal Son." In
residence Of prodigal daughter. Maxi.
mum of income. One shilling per day.
In luck if she gets that. Feels rich when
she does.
Abode Of one of her ajesty's subjects.
Not old. Not yet ugly Will be soon.
Traces of gin on her face and form.
Probable age thirty-five. Stands in
doorway. Contemplating stars? No,
Worse. Waiting for flats. For victims.
Al - %, Il
ing. For the old man ditto For here
they come.
Policeman comes along. Carriage
stiff. Gait slow. Bearing official. Ad-
dresses woman: "See here, if | catch you
at your door again I'll run you in" Fur
ther down the street. Look Dingy
doorways. Dingier and dingier. Faint
light. More women Like this one All
standing in doorways Same sort of
rooms Rapid Sinking back "a police,
man goes down. Doors closed Appear
ances preserved. Law. order. deccncy
and virtue prevail. So long as police
mans in sight. Opened when he diaap
pears. All waiting and hoping for the
man-the coming man-the young man
void of understanding II the old man
ditto. Waiting. Why? lie may bring
pence. For what? To buy gin Why
gin? Gin means bliss. Heaven Para.
disc for four pence. True, for an hour
only. But what matter? Hour Of bliss
in prospective outweighs huIdredfoId
ten Of misery afterward.
Let's emerge. Into Drury Lane again.
More "Mu-phy busters" Eel pie shops,
Fish kitchens full Girls scudding to and
fro with beer pitchers. Preparations for
thousands of midnight suppers Hum.
Buzz. Glare. Swearing. Singing. More
women gossiping by gin palace windows,
| Full within The Lord Wellington. "
Full the Retail Entrance" Full the
Bottle and jug Department" Full the
bar Parlor." Unceasing iB action the
beer pump
Girl passes. Accosts anybody. Accosts
everybody. Shame to her "A blank. Mod
esty a myth Reputation? Doesn't want
it. Character Got over it. Thus hei
language:
Come, bub, treat us now To a mug o
ale, won't you? It's awful cold and
amt got no money" Still young. Com
plexion fresh Attire fashionably cut
A trille seedy Oa the down grade. Blu
not yet way down WretChrd, miserabl'
creature No Not wretchrd Not mis-
erable Not as unhappy as many anothe
high up in life's proprirtirs aud conven
tionalities Simply abandoned Reck
less. Cares for npthing at presen
but a drink Almost free fron
care Owns nothing save what