The Project Gutenberg EBook of City Crimes, by Greenhorn

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Title: City Crimes
or Life in New York and Boston

Author: Greenhorn

Release Date: January 7, 2009 [EBook #27732]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

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CITY CRIMES;

OR

LIFE IN NEW YORK AND BOSTON.
A VOLUME FOR EVERYBODY:
BEING A MIRROR OF FASHION,
A PICTURE OF POVERTY,
AND A STARTLING REVELATION
OF THE SECRET CRIMES
OF GREAT CITIES

{First published 1849}

[Illustration: Title page of _City Crimes_, 1849 edition. Reproduced
with the permission of The Huntington Library, San Marino, California.]

CHAPTER I

_A Young Gentleman of Wealth and Fashion--a noble resolve--the
flatterers--the Midnight Encounter--an Adventure--the
Courtezan--Temptation triumphant--how the Night was passed._

'What a happy dog I ought to be!' exclaimed Frank Sydney, as he reposed
his slippered feet upon the fender, and sipped his third glass of old
Madeira, one winter's evening in the year 18--, in the great city of New
York.

Frank might well say so; for in addition to being as handsome a fellow
as one would be likely to meet in a day's walk, he possessed an ample
fortune, left him by a deceased uncle. He was an orphan; and at the age
of twenty-one, found himself surrounded by all the advantages of wealth,
and at the same time, was perfect master of his own actions. Occupying
elegant apartments at a fashionable hotel, he was free from any of those
petty cares and vexations which might have annoyed him, and he kept an
establishment of his own; while at the same time he was enabled to
maintain, in his rooms, a private table for the entertainment of himself
and friends, who frequently repaired thither, to partake of his
hospitality and champagne suppers. With such advantages of