Evening star., 1902-01-18

there Is a harp as well: there Is always
singing; there are interludes of dancing,
whether Of the Jig or the hornpipe; there
Is sometimes fighting; and there is always
drinking. Externally, the house hath a
rusty appearance for the want of fresh
paint and the scrubbing brush. The yisi-
TOR descends two steps on entrance; he
finds himself in a long. low room with a
sauded floor and provided with benches
and settles, a bar where drinks are drawn
and couple of stalwart tapsters to draw
them, to fight the quarrelsome and to turn
out those who will not pay The position
Is most convenient 1t IS withdrawn from
the riverside, yet convenient to those who
get their living by the river or on the bank,
and the landlord has the reputation of gen.
erosity in the purchase OF foreign produce
stolen from the ships By the lghtermen
and the watermen.
Every evening this room is filed with
the people above named, especially with
sailors There are sailors from every port,
from London, Bristol. Portsmouth, Plym-
outh, Lynn, Hull, Newcastle, everywhere;
there are old sailors and young sailors;
all the latter bringing their sweethearts,
some of the former bringing their wives;
there are also the riverside folk above
mentioned, and there are craftsmen Of va
rious kinds. and it Is as goddess. drunken,
noisy and debauched q place as one may
IND all over London, not even excepting
Clerkenwell and the banks of the Fleet.
Every evening all the year round there
was large coal fire burning in a vast
fireplace; on the hob summer and winter
stood a huge kettle filed with water that
was always boiling: beside the fire were ly-
ing ready a frying pan, a gridiron and
pot for the use OF that part of the COM
pany which might bring. and cook. their
own suppers, whether a lump of pork or q
beefsteak; pound OF sausage or bloater,
a mutton chop or pigs fry to bron with
onions Forks they had none. nor plates,
but every man carried q knife with him.
which served many purposes. and for plates
they employed the primitive platter Of q
thick slice Of bread, for choice that with
gravy. This evening there were gathered
round the fire half a dozen sailors with red
faces scorching their hands over the friz-
zlng. kissing. fragrant delicacies they had
In the frying pan or on the grill.
In the corner-in such places he Is always
found IN the corner-sat a fiddler perform
Ing his lustiest and best; young fellow
was ba awling to this accompaniment piti-
ful ballad Of many verses. The company
paid but little heed to this burst OF melody;
they were accustomed to singing Of this
kind every night: and. indeed. II was not
OF character to inspire one with JOY, or
even cheerfulness: yet the singer enjoyed
Tong ditty, his head thrown back and
bis eyes fixed on the beams In q kind Of
rapture; every man and woman In the room
had bis tankard Of beer, his pannih1n Of
rum or his thick. round glass, which one
night drop or throw at another mans
head without fear Of breaking It. The glass
Contained punch Of kind suited to- their
delicate palates, being hot and strong and
eweet Most of the men were smoking to-
Facco In pipes: as for the room itself the
Lresn sand concealed the old dirt and
crime The windows were closed. the cell
ing was low: It was Lit by three or four
candles stuck In tin sconces against the