The Sort of People Catered to by the Maker of "Slap Up Tog."
While attention is directed to Whitechapel it is interested to learn anything about that London "Five Points." By general reputation the world knows it to be worse than our slums were in their worse days. An inkling of the character of the place may be obtained from the following extracts which I have copied from a printed circular or "dodger" that was forwarded me through the mails from England:--
"Harris has no connection with any shop of the same name.
"To His Rile Highness the Prince of Nails and (here the coat of arms of Great Britain appears) His Imperial Majesty the Emperor and His Wench.
"The champion of England slap up tog and out and out kicksies builder nabs the chance of putting his customers awake that he has just made his escape from Canada, not forgetting to clap his mawleys on a rare dose of stuff, but on his return home was stunned to tumble against one of the tip top manufacturers of Manchester, who had stuck to the gill, cut his lucky from his drum, and about vamoosing off to Swan Stream, leaving behind him a valuable stock, &c., and having the ready in his kick, grabbed the chance, stepped home with his swag and is now safely landed at his crib.
"He can turn out toggery very slap up, to lick all the slop shops in the neighborhood."
Any one at all familiar with the ways of lower classes, the slum element of London, will recognize at once that this vernacular appeals to the thieves, burglars and outcasts from society only. Continuing, the circular gives its prices in this "attractive" style:--
"Ready gilt-tick being no go, Upper Benjamins, built on a downy plan, a monarch to half a finnuff.
"Proper cut togs for business or pleasure, turned out slap, one pound.
"Sneaking or lounging togs, at any price you name.
"Fancy sleeve blue plush, pilot or box cloth vests, cut saucy, a couter.
"Black or fancy vests, made to flash the dickey or tight up round the scrag, from six and a tanner.
"Ditto, ditto, sealskin, buckskin, doeskin, moleskin, deerskin, chamoiskin or any other skin, made to order at six hours' notice.
"Pair of Kerseymere or fancy doeskin kicksies, any color, cut peg top, half tights or to drop down over the trotters, from nine and a tanner to twenty-one bob.
"Worsted or Bedford cords, in every color, cut verylap, with the arful dodge, a canary.
"Pair of out and out cords, built very serious, from six bob and a kick upward.
"Rare fancyords, cut awfully loud, nine times.
"Pair of bang up or constitution cords, fourteen and a half.
"Pair of moleskins, any color, built hanky spanky, with a double fakement down the sides and artful buttons at the bottoms, half a monarch.
"Beware of the worthless imitation made by the roughs at the same price.
"Young ladies' habits attended to by a practical shickster.
"Liveries, round pipes, knee caps and trotter cases built very low.
"A large assortment of caps to fit all kinds of nuts.
"A decent allowance made to seedy swells, tea kettle purgers, quill drivers, mushroom fakirs, counter jumpers, organ grinders, bruisers, head robbers and flunkeys out of collar.
"Shallow covers, sea sailors or fellows on the high fly rigged out on the shortest notice.
"Kid's clothing of every description kept ready made or to measure.
"Gentlemen finding their own broody can be accommodated."
