AMERICAN GOSSIP.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XV, Issue 33, 7 February 1880, Page 5

AMERICAN GOSSIP.

. ilvt^J3ilyer Pen," tjie'San Franciscb correspondent of the Auckland Herald writes'uuder date December 21 :— 1 have spoken at length on the .character and calling of the: boy hoodlums some time ago. A glance at the girls of .the' same terrible clrtss will show the state of morals in the Golden City. Quite lately, two girls, of the ages iospectiyely of 14 and 12, were arrested ina Hoodlum lodging r hquse (of which tbereare about 60 in the city ), and brought, to the bar of justice for leading dissolute lives, which resulted ina story from. the lips Tof the elder too revolting to, publish in full, but, summed up, it goes to tell how a gang of girls, from 1,0. to liS.-ply the^trade "of naked shame $ri jbhe city front—thatis in the vicinity of the shipping. Here may be seen these' little children, some even under ten years old, walking about, accosting tjJeVjp^'i^t/kin.cl'of men, both white and black, though] studiously/ 1 avoiding the more decent sailors and working men there employed. Two' will plant themselves at a corner as decoys, while the others disperse and pick up* who, they can,; when they adjourn to a low tavern andf indulge in debauchery of the most terrific kind.; drinking, cursing, and so forth. ' Ah investigation showed that these > girls Received their initiation in yice,at & barber's shop. The devil who pliesj his trade ainong the loWest class of nieti, has been for some time enticing young children of seven and eight years old into, his service with bribes of candy and dime pieces. You may imagine, fro,m'; ( the 'Jfceh'der ages of , these poor c|iiidren howjittlo they know of the nature of their crime wh&n a five-cents' worth of candy is held out as an inducement, and .received ia return for their chaltity^. : //lV'i^'.' T <lreadful to see this class* of girl .waylaying boys of the same age, following them ;up, and walking pas&'ltieir'bomeg, day after day, as- 1 h^ay^.^witnessed.' . The hoodlum girl is at a ; glance, of, whatever age. She generally walks; if with one of the o^p'qsite'6ex^vwit,h'his' arm. round her waisi-i her shoulders are cpyered with a lbosej shawl ; her; hat is old, ,and trimmed With tawdry finery ; brass bracelets, and flnger-ririgs, give a glare df sin' to the, shabby finery of her dress, which is 'decked out with -worn: and faded ribbon j on her face-an'imp}udent le&r, and often in : her -mouth a cigarette. Should you happen to enter a car in which a party of these hoodlum girls are, the smell of liquor pervades the air most disgustingly, and talk about swearing, every second word; is either slang or: ian oath. 'I'hey spit about, too, just like men do — indeed, spitting is ndfi confined J to this class by any means, for every man in the : city spits about 'the cars and streets un^, you feel sick. Imagine walking along in^a handsome dress and having it spat upon over and over again A lady must pick -her way carefully to avoid the disgusting ordeal, and noticeably on the marble steps of offices you find- the same filthy-element ; so much "so, that, unless careful, one stands a good chance <if slipping and breaking one's neck. But to return to our hoodlum, girls. There is no redemption of them, it appears. Nathaniel Hunter, ihe Secretary of the Society for the Prevention >of Cruelty l to Children and Animals, makes the most praiseworthy : exertions i.o'ri behalf^ of this misguided class, placing . girls in good, families, only. ..to fiad them run away'to -old in an 'hour after • or securing them within the bb'ttnjdkrlds^ of the InQ^uWrial^cTiobl^^hOTe^hey reniainj ' ifor/Vmohtha j foririjefbafmbiioriy agftfnUUfcakeaio'lthe'istrffe'ts^wlEM' Selivere'd /frotai^heiri 'prison; : i iThey r 'a*e' " smart," too ; it is not uncommon for a girl of fifteen to head a gang of youthMrfenKtews^hep^iffegEsjE md(;m®® perhaps a m.or,&jde.tesmiaed. commaad^; than a boy would. -— -—•- v,'Ghrlstmasidncer^gaiti4 sky and oartloads of flowe!rsififi#i : tij' strawberries and cream dd'Wjitiim, San Francisco is arrayed in ? 'gia'F» "dba-' tfirael J Oriilermbre'the 1 1 *ra i; rich in loaves, crab?, flowers, trees, Ntos'arks, 1 'dolls; ; fi9hV ratß,caW, F and every other device under the sun—- all in candy. The pavements are icnpagaabrfeT.'withf '-td^4, ! : v«ldoip6aesi- glaWware,chinaware, Japane Be •'■ ware, and ■■ all other wares. Qqcb more, turkeys at Is 6J per Ib, and Wbking pigs at four

dollars each, loom out at ttie market stalls I everything speaks of plenty to , those who can buy. The Mechanics' j Pavilion free from Valking-matches and carnivals, is utilised as a monster toy bazaar, where you may purchase any 1 holiday gift you please; and where 1 Satata Glaus holds his reign and gives 1 to little children free gifts, to propitiate 1 parents to go in largely for the elder branches. - -Four bands discourse sweet mußia^r^avp.rjze,yaiid " your' Bisters, and'yobWousrnß, J jlnd i your aunts " is theiibipipijSgTßtrainrth^x gratifies old and young, so much do we ail love "Pinafore.". , Every -.living soul, is making l ;r.eaUy^ifta^ojt. : the ladieß work for mqhthl' preViolni^to this happy week in pfcdej to present their gentlemen friends with : tangible proofs of i their loye. Happy bachelors J No)w I williy«urCb'ureaT»B bVeVdwded with,pincushions, collar and glove boxes in silver cardboard with monograph thereon, and other nicknacks ; how lovely your beds will henceforth look with ! those beauteous " shams/' with initials ' in satin stitch badly worked in the centre.. Fair ladies, how your, heats will beat waiting ;f or the costly cadeaux you look Nf or in \return, and .which you'll get-^ewrings; "bracelets, diamonds, furniture— averytbing, in fact) ( for Chriatooas.preßeptfi ia San Francisco mean Bopae|hiqg ,^o,f^ \ waiting , for, and the men, are very generous at such , seasons. The streets are impassable ; men, women, ¥nd children may be seen loaded "with "packages; ATTTnTOeason the CJhiaeae merohants .cosily p reseiiJs u ,.tp . the wiyo! 8 ,. of -tt>^ir; €?^q^ p!oy-ees r 4he mo?t <jo8ily ; and elegant i presents too. Nests of tables dn'jpapian \ ; machey trays, toys, can dlyj and- i i tuifr& 1 cbe Ctiiueee candy is the most'delioip.us! ! I 67,er tefetad ; in fact, it .is like' no otber, 'so si \w,on'st-f pretefld to. describe it. Among it, however, are crystalizel nuts, 'which are 1 peculiar and delicious. When one looks at the work of tho. "Heathen Chinee" it seems a farce to talk about the superiority of the Christian' ditto; their paintings on paper and eilk, at tbin as gauza, ; are more exquisite . than any-, thing I ever sa'w. All these are presented toi'theirtwbite friends at Christmas time, and more than I could mention in ten pages.