The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-05-30
FRIENDLESS IN LONDON
experience of Yankee Lad Who
eIt Over in q Garlic shin

'O44 - TIE mecca or aspiring pow
erty; like Oliver Twist, the forlorn but
hopeful mortal bends his thoughts towards
that whirlpool where identity is lost in the
excitement of activity and the glamor of
possibility. Those who come within the
circle seldom reappear. How beautiful the
hopfieids Of Kent seem in memory, how
infinitely peaceful the far-away lines of
the Devon coast
These thoughts came later to a young
man who had worked his passage from
America on a cattle ship. and was eager
to forget the misery of the voyage in any
sort OF work that might be found in the
great, busy center OF human activity.
The mist hung low and clammy as he
passed over the cinder paths of Deptford.
''Is this the way to London?'' he asked
a laborer. "Ay. my lad. you're a Yankee
bent you?' Ten miles is a long distance
for a hungry man to travel or foot: he
looked lOngingly at the crowded trans
that ratified past him and he jingled the
two silver dollars in his pocket He learn
ed later that he might have ridden the
whole way in a workingman's omnibus
for twOpence.
1t was o'clock, and as he came into the
outskirts Of the city, the light Of the long
rows of open-air booths, crowded with
vegetables, meats, pastry, and all manner
Of edibles, served to accentuate his feel
ing of faintness. He went into a money
changers shop and bartered his two coins
for seven shillings sixpence and then
bought a cup of chocolate and a Bath bun.
which took the keen edge from his hunger.
q fnf1
through the fog. which destroyed every
thing. Some Of the cattle bosses had
recommended a boarding house to him
and dilated at length on its charms. and
by $50 he saw Gardeners Scotch House
looming up before him and knew that he
had not much farther to go 4 short dis
lance beyond 1t Commercial street
branches off from Commercial road, and
the Victoria Home. No l. for workingmen.
stands near the corner of that street and
the famous Pettcoat Lane.
It was not a nice locality: II reminded
him more of the east side in New York
than anything he had so far seen; drunk
en- men and women were abundant, and
ragged children carrying pals Of beer
were jostled about by the PEDESTRIANS.
The old and smoky corner building to
which he was directed impressed him
gloomily, and slouchy men skunk into the
basement through low doorway
He followed one of them and entered
the house and found himself in a cemented
cellar. where benches were crowded with
the riff-raff of the district
There was a small counter near the en-
trance, where bread, marmalade, and soup
were dispensed at trif1ing cost: on the
opposite side a huge CRATE fire, resembling
a blacksmith's forge, enabled those who
wished to cook thei rown meat and boil
their own tea; the atmosphere Of the place
was stuffy and unsavory, but when one
is exhausted and hungry it is not difficult
to ignore refinement and cleanliness.
Everything must bow before the great
necessity Of food.
One of the inmates. with a youthful
face and shifting eyes. accosted him:
You're from American"
Yes"
Come over on a cattle boat?"
Yes"
so d I: had supper"
'No."
ANY money!"
a little"
Come out into the Lane and TT show
you where 10 buy grub cheap"
The young maa followed ms interlocu'or
TO the torch-Ht Babel Of Petticoat Lane
''Ho'peuny worth tea. unused his guide.
taking a profered sixpence. - ha'peuny;
Ia penny brown sugar IS a penny. four
kippers. three ha'pence. makes twopeuce
Ia penny, and bread and butter is four-a
pence. Here we are"
He jostled his way % the various cart
owners. exp0stulat5ug with one. bargain
ing with another. and buying the various
articles almost as rapidly as he had
enumerated them. Finally. with 10 hands
fun. re preceded the late arrival back 70
the basement. and instructed h.m how 70
steep the tea 70 the metal cups and hoz
20 hold the k.ppcrs on tho toastiog zglts
When these operations had been pe-f0rrn-
ID 20 satisfaction. they sat down on ore
@ fthe backless benches 90 enjoy their cup
Per.
They don't IKE Americans" saId h.s
friend. shaking hs head az the room In
genera. and q. that moment the manager
came Up and said:
Come. y01'u have 20 get cut 7 know
YOUR KIND. cat.ls boat chaps. fighting and
dangerous.
Wont y5u re- me fnfsa M sgppe-7-'
eyes. Only h1rrv, 7 knox your kind"
'It-s the waite hat you've g9t On r.
marked the y3g7z mans companion. T
'-Doz't ~ here selI It. throw f. away /
'tas7- in styIa he-e."
Er.5ezsly Harvard square ard We
chapel DID not agree % fashions
"But d5a't so--y." -esursed as fr--a3
kind.y. Two Blocks % taey's ar1.hs-
tel. y5E'A g, bed ,Aere. bg; eng tsa.
hat"
The To1-g man shgf3s1 or 5s1-s aza-n- {
fee-.-g verv sore AMI sired and found ~
'-s5=S-h9uzs" ~ valch r. tad been g.
gecte1 re pad sxpence for a cot sc5
xss sh7E- W IKE alzh,s q t.lsrna, sta-rz .
70 = dark rogn containing f9Br etu1tT .
beds. wan - pulled q ne cover,ss. D. +
say - re light q seaole camille thst .
Re eoud ns~e< So dom On sasets s. s,rtT. s
5s Gs1g himself On Fae oatsr csvs- ar 4
Feb asssr-
Waea be z~gke q. Vas may noon. r.
maze IeaETe Breakfast sod AS bat .
4 7tz=ierer Tor hz'7eaay. AID bs1gsrt
cas- far s-xSs-ra Thzs z.se-s1 ss E@H