My Mamie Rose: The Story of My Regeneration

igations were so many and the celebrations so frequent that, after a short time of plenty,

ting houses," which offered opportunities to men of my class. In

he pity!-women. The real purpose of these gatherings must remain nameless here, but this fact we must note, that all of these "sporting-houses,

d crowd of habitués. Some of the reputations were made in the prize ring, viz: Frank White, manager of the Champion's Rest, on the Bowery, two doors north of Houston street; Billy Mad

obbery fame, and other ex-inmates of jails owed their wide popularity and money-making capacity to their terms spent behind the bars. An isolated posi

ho, by experience and compulsion of their employers, had become perfect in their shrewd wickedness. In front of these "join

Armory Hall, and "Fatty" Flynn's place in Bond street, completed the boast of the day th

accustomed to the environment, to "

e mitts" in the "sporting-houses," where boxing was the special feature. Others, having neither the training or inclinations

owance of intelligence at the door. Men, who, in their daily occupation, are fairly alert and awake to

of thumb and fleshy part-"flim-flamming"-doubling a bill in a number of them, and counting each end of it as one separate bill-are the most common means of cheating employed.

glories of t

e resorts, and it helped me to create for myself another reputation. I did not work in these places for the

uld have been guarantees of every sterling quality, came there, not once, but night after

whose education I would have gladly given years of my life, and who, by one word of sympathy or encouragement, could have rekindled the dying flame of hope, of self-respect, in some fellow-being, but that word

of a great city as if they were some strange beasts, some freaks in human shape. That almost every creature in these "dives" and "joints" has left behind a niche in the wo

ation of divedom, but how about the representatives of respecta

obbing with the most fearful riff-raff, you would shrug your sho

e is much corroboration, not the lea

at this very moment there is a scope for your efforts in spite of all change of administration and Christian endeavor has do

own pest hole, reeking with stench beyond its very

med from the country, his ruddy complexion and "store clothes" indicated it. The drink, which he had been forced to buy, was standing untasted before him.

n the other side of the table. At least more than fifty years o

her dress was unbuttoned. Still, this witch of lowest depravity, lulled her Lorelei song, hoping to

his scene, yet it was only a detail in the grander spectacle, the "go

during some of the more important elections and for a few weeks preceding electio

the Bowery. If the blare of the wheezy cornet and the thumping of the piano had to be silenced for the ti

ustries carried on was the conf

derloin now," is the cry of the few remain

t of lambs unloaded itself on this highway of the foolish and miserable, to be devoured by th

ut the most of them were beetle-browed ruffians, who seemed i

ger's money many

er acquaintanceship. To celebrate the renewal of their old friendship it was necessary to adjoin to the nearby gin-mill. Her

wolf and the lamb-are joined by a thir

ch he wants to change; or is broke, and offers his entire outlay of jewelry, watch, studs and rings, each one flashing with fire-spitting jewels, for a mere bagatelle of fifty dollars; or offers to bet on some mechanical trick toy in his possession, t

mptations, the pleasing concoction called "knock

gainst the rules of the industry, and cannot be permitted without being rebuked. Therefore, the confidence industry was

all, and vastly profitable to some. Besides, in their lower stages, and technically inside of the law, they gave employment to many young me

ays a large number of choice spirits, frequently came messengers calling for a quota for some expedient mission. We we

eated contest in a small town near Baltimore, he shipped fifty of us to the scene of strife to "help elect" his patron. Five "Bowery gents," in rough and ready

r afford to do without us. To-day we would fight the men, who, to-m

faithfulness worthier of a better cause. That this was so is proven by the fact that not only John Y. McKane, the "Czar of Coney Island," recruited his police for

, invited us to aid them in protecting property and temporary employees,

angers. Quite a number of the more "straight" saloons on the Bowery did not object to having about the place a crowd of fellows who were fair players of pool or the games of cards

e a living on the Bowery. They were many and variegated in their nature. It was a saying of the day that all a man

GN OF CHI