The young men were hilarious, the old men were gloomy.

In fact, there were two types of men, the cheerful and the sodden or blue, and age seemed to determine the classification.
But no more than the two cellar rooms did this room convey the remotest suggestion of home.

Certainly there could be nothing home-like about it to you and me, who know what home really is.

On the walls were the most preposterous and insulting notices regulating the conduct of the guests, and at ten o'clock the lights were put out, and nothing remained but bed.
This was gained by descending again to the cellar, by surrendering the brass check to a burly doorkeeper, and by climbing a long flight of stairs into the upper regions.

I went to the top of the building and down again, passing several floors filled with sleeping men.