Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1892-07-21
ANIGHT ON NEW YORK DOCKS
Where the Poor of Gotham
Take the Sea Breeze.
UNCOUTH BUT HEROIC CHIVALRY
Where People Are Rough,
But Honor is Respected.



Special Correspondents Of Gazette ana journal
New YoRK, July ia great big steamer
was going out the other day, and standing
on the dock watching it was an enormous
crowd of well -dressed, MISUNDERSTANDING
people. Hands were kissed, handkerchiefs
were waved, and everybody seemed merry
and full OF happiness. All about were rose
petals, small flowers and leaves that had
fallen from the many hundred floral pieces
that had been carried on board the ship TO
nay God speed you" in their own sweet
way. The water was splashing up against
the sides of the dock the air was cool, so
much cooler than up i'll the hot city, ard
wondered TO myself as we went away,
Who goes on the dock at nights? | kept
thinking about this, and thinking about it
until at last | determined to see and ac-
companied by my closest friend went
down at O'Clock at night and saw the sea-
\ side resort of the other people.
OUT FOR BREATH OF AIR
was evidently early, for it takes some
time for the other people to get through
their dinner and make their way through
the crowded streets to the cool dock. They
come in families; they come in pairs; they
come in groups; and worst of all, they
come IN gangs. There's man over there
sitting near the end whose costume would
hardly pass at even the most Bohemian
gathering; he has on grey flannel shirt a
pair of dark trousers, he has rolled his
sleeves up. displaying big brawny arms,
and his shirt open at the neck, shows n
thick heavy throat. He has pushed his
hair back off his forehead that his head
may get cool, and he has kicked his shoes
on that his feet may have that pleasure
also. There are a wife and four children
with him. Look ut that woman, my
friend To m f,iA ht,,I-
Is. Her face is drawn, thin, and about it is
Q keenish expression; her frock is whole
but hasn't the merit of clcaliness; she is
carrying baby in one arm, and the other
three are leaning up against her and their
iather. She is taking in great draught of
.he fresh air, and her listless, heavy-iook-
fig eyes seem to be Frightening under its
influence. She looks forty and She is Just
swenty.foGr. The cause? Well, it isn't
ack of money, for her husband makes
good wages; but its lack of knowledge of
how to spend the money; its the
LIVING IN CLOSE, cRAMPEp ROOMS,
it's the having greasy, badly cooked food,
the being badly-cared for when her chill
dren were born, and the utter lack of am
bition. She knows nothing and doesn't
want to know anything. And she wouldn't
take the cure for her illness il she could
get It, And the cure2 It's the getting out
Of The great, big city; it's the going to some
oil the smaller and newer places where she
can have house of her own and take
pride in il, and where she will be comfort
able and happy. can't resist talking to
her. SO after a word or two about the
baby, ask her: Are you New Yorker?r
And she says Yes And then / ask her
ii she wouldn't rather live in the country,
and she says: mo wouldn't; there amt
nothin goin' on there. My man, he's
always talking about getting little place,
and he gets the children all worked up
about digging and the flowers they'll see
there but ! amt loavin' New York" The
determined tone in which she spoke con-
WINGED me that she didn't want the remedy
for her trouble; that she was perfectly
satisfied TO have II dirty, untidy room in q
big tenement house. for "her man" to call
home, and that she was quite willing to
breed children who, having had street
educations, would be in a fair way to helm
fill the penitentiary.
THE GAM1Ss OF NEW YORK.
On the other side of the dock is a great
group of boys. do think the average boy
could find happiness anywhere. There's
not pair OF shoes among them, and hats
are either brimless or crOwnless: but orr
coming citizens are doing wild skirt dances,
are initiating their favorite actors, are
turning ,somersaults or playing leap frog,
as they desire, bright-faced Irish boy
me right III the face and then discovers
that sitting in my lap, with his ears perked
up, is that delight of every boy--a dog.
In second the whole crowd are beside
Inc, but the little Irish lad believing that
he is my first acquaintance, calls out to the
rest. Don't shove her." Then he races
the boys who did shove, q mild scrap is in.
dulged in, and he returns to Join the rest
Of the party, feeling that he is hero.
Then he says,
'woTs YOUR DOCS NAME?"
tell them, and there is great deal of
smoothing and patting goes on, after
which is a deal subdued whispering Then
the member from Ireland makes this re-
quest If you'll lend me your dog III
take good care of him." All awful fear
OF dog-catchers comes before me, but be-
lere in the honor of the small boy, and [
know that every nerve in the body of the
dog is quiyering with II desire to go and
play, so the chain is Entrusted to the lender
and they retreat to their own corner. There
are banks Of great JOY. there's an immense
amount of laughter, there are wild races
up and down the. dock, but through it all
some boy is keeping his word and holding
on to the chain. There is retreat behind
the wagon, there is wild and sudden
splash. l look out in the water, and there
in the buff, is my Irish friend, swimming
with the dog sitting up on his back /
probably look u little startled for all the
other boys halloo to me, "Patsy's got his
chain about his neck" Patsy comes back,
and my companion is returned to me with
many thanks, and ! am asked if would
like to hear the boys sing. do like. And
80 theey give me all the songs they have
heard on the street. Patsy does a cellar
Hap for my benefit he executes whist
ing variation, and then, when distribute
some pennies the whole crowd disappear
TO buy that delightful delicacy, hokcy-
pokey ice cream.
THE TOUGH ELEMENT.
don't like the gang. They are lot of
tough-looklng young men who are dis.
cussing politics. Most of them have Inv
foreheads and look as il they were cannble
of doing good bit in the way of wicked.
ness and not much in the way of work
One of them is telling about the trial of
another who was arrested for stealing. and
this was the story You see, he was fool
from de beginnin'; he wasn't in wild dc
politicians, and was jes' innocen enough
TO think that, cause he was straight, he'd
get justice in New York. He gets Il lawyer
what amt got no pull, and 'spects him to
get him through. He was always fool,
lettin' any fellow have the loud on me, so
les' went to him and told him how some
OF de gang were willin' To swear how he
was wild dem that night. Now, what do
you think that bloomin' idiit said? Says
he, Billy, it's good in you, but before
Gawd didn't do it, an | wasn't wild Won,
and wouldn't have you lie fer me- SAYS
], meanin, to be pleasant, IN see you in
Sing Sing, and We'll have that pleasure
for the next year. De judge an de man
from dc district attorneys office was dc.
termined to make u '2ample of him. Some
body had to 60 up, and, OF course that
somebody had to be man without n pull.
HIS Old woman is goin' round cryinf and