Old Specie, the Treasury Detective; or, The Harbor Lights of New York — page 104: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

96 OLD SPECIE. It was the same scene he gazed upon. Some of the characters might have been replaced by new ones, but they were-of the same order, and the change was not noticeable. Night after night this goes on. Scenes occur in these dives that would horrify | many people, but the proprietors try to keep their noisy guests from fighting, for fear the police would shut the place up. Looking around, Old Specie failed to see the man he sought. He did not doubt that Ben would soon put in an appearance. In the meantime he found plenty to amuse him- self in watching those present. They were a motley crowd. Some showed all the signs of being veterans in sin, but there were others who were undoubtedly taking the first steps. His shrewd eve could pick them out. Oh! that a friendly arm were present to pluck these brands from the burning. Already they were on the slippery descent, at whose base lay the region of Hades. Old Specie was thus engaged in moralizing when he saw his man enter. It was earlier than Ben had come before. “He looked around eagerly. ._Not seeing the one he sought—for Old Specie had purposely remained almost beside the door—a frown came upon Ben’s face. His name was called. Turning, he saw Caddy Cole. In another minute the two had drawn apart and were deeply engaged in conversation. Eomicbooks (elo)