The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1919-05-25
LONDON Lane
REVNES FROM
IT'S VAR SLEEP

London, May z4.-Pett1coat Lane
has awakened from its long sleep,
imposed by the war and the rigors of
an unusually wet winter and with
the coming of spring fairly huns with
life, trade and dirt.
Petticoat Lane Is more OF q district
than a street. for there are number
same curb markets and the same mot
ley crowd of traders and sightseers.
It is within five minutes walk of some
OF the most important financial in
stitutions in the world. and on the
edge of that interesting section known
as the East End where royalty and
others have recently discovered there
, are sIums which are q disgrace to
England, in fact to all civilization.
Petticoat Lane is lined with stalls,
some of them covered, some of them
open to the elements, and all of them
mounted on wheels. Here may be
found for sale almost everything the
purchasing public may desire, any
thing in fact which might be included
| in list which stretched from second
hand underwear to cheap jewelry.
| The old clothes man occupies the
commanding position almost directly
opposite the great Liverpool street
passenger station, and some Of his
prices would do Justice to some of
the smart West End shops, but prices
and sales are not the same thing in
Petticoat Lane If the seller cannot
get his price he is always willing to
come down, and If trade happens to
be slow he will mount a box and
offer his stock to the highest bidder.
Then comes out all the wit and humor
of the throng, with the auctioneer
usually leading in sarcastic sallies
art China" fearfully and wonder
fully made; men and women's neck
wear in all colors OF the rainbow;
fried fish fresh from the skillet; pic
lures, framed and unframed and
lprized because of their high color; ice
cream and shaving powder, with a
liberal assortment of hair brushes and
lsuspenders; money belts; Mons rib
lions and the insignia of every regi-
Iment in the British army These and
La thousand and one other things line
the street on each side, their leather
Ilunged sellers pausing only in their
Iappeals for trade to make the neecs-
isary change.
One section of the Lane is given
lover to the man who is there to heal
1.-The sick and afflicted. He usually
Ispecializes in some particular disease
His appeals supported by an open
bottle of his particular medicine, ana
for a penny one may sample the rem
ledy and know for himself whether
he wants bottle. And it is surpris-
ling how many bottles are sold from
the sample, on which the thrifty doc
tor makes much more profit thar
The does on the larger amount.
Not far from the Lane proper Is the
livestock market as they call it
in Club Row. Here one can buy
some of the best dogs that have mys-
teriously disappeared from the fash
ionabie sections of the city during
the previous week.
Sunday morning is the great day
in Petticoat Lane. and its environs
for while all commodity stores in Lon
don are closed on that day, the Lam
is allowed to operate freely withou
interference from the police. 1t serve'
it's purpose in that it affords a cheap
convenient market for the teemin:
thousands of the East End, and give
them a promenade. little crowded
to be sure, but all the more popula
in consequence.