Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1852-04-23

The Paris correspondent Of the 81. Louis Re.
publican gives the following account Of the
Chestnut men 10 thai city. whose large proiIs
are drawn 10 some instances from apparently The
meanssl and most Insignificant occupations:
The eheslnu, sellers form a large class, con
sisling OF men Of oil ages. and have their esIAb-
lishmsnis principally al The corners oI the dit
ferenI streets. The esiabiishmeal consists, for
shop, OF the doorway Of some wine merchant
or cafe, and, for furniture, stool on which a
large iron cauldron or a ToasIer, the lower ParI
forming furnace. Over the cOudrou hangs a
quantity Of linle paper bags, and under the sIool
is the bag Of raw chesmuls. The days provision.
The whole business is OF course conducted 10
the open air, bei0g entirely for The benefit Of
passers by. The seller himself is clothed, gen.
orally, 10 rags, or 10 something so darned and
patched that all It's original form and color is
lef entirely TO the imagination u bear or she p
skin cape, and cap of the same, complete bis
costume aud render him sufficiently comiona'
bic. so he says TO brave any weather. Ia rain
and shine. snow and hail there he stands, his
charcoal fire burning brightly, his cauldron his
sing and sleaming, if he is boiled chestnut
man and f q roasted one the chesInuts crack.
ing and popping, and knocking 10 be let out, like
Mrs. Tetlerbys potatoes, while the seller, him.
self stands knocking his feet together TO keep
them warm, and holding his hands over the
cauldron lid ready 10 hell customer at an in.
sIanI's warning. tie rarely sells moro Than a
sous worth al time, his principal customers be-
ing children on their way 10 and from school,
grseIIes who think il looks interesting TO be seen
eating chesInUts in the street, and loalers who
cannot afford 10 squander more that sous upon
Injuries. The rents which these chestnut men
pay for the season Of four or FIVE months, seem
enormous, but the amount Of their profits is still
more surprising. A good place, that is to say
the concession Of the half Of doorway, OF
morrow passage next the shop Of wine mer
chant in The most populous quarters, rents a
from five TO six hundred frances, and brings in
10 its occupant, all the expenses counted inclu
ding his lodging and eating, profit Of nine hun
dred 10 thousand francs, and sometimes more
A place 10 less frequenied part Of the city, !,
paid three or four hundred francs, aud the prof
il is seven or eight hundred. Finally, The poor
est locoliUes rent for hnndred or a hundred
and fifty francs, and the profits are rarely les
than FIVE hundred.
| ptotles uIc Telaleu OF CeThln cneStnut meI
who have sold out their business and interes
for larger sum than could be got for somt
more elegant and permanent Establishments, ant
have retired 10 their native provinces, able Il
buy piece Of ground, build house, and live
on their rents for the rest Of their lives. Ii /
even said that cetIain Socialist ex. Representa-
tive. who has this week been elected Senator
| began his fortune US roasted chestnut man
but he says This for scandal, notwithstanding ,ha
the number of times he has been seen buyin,
chestnu,s at the street corners would lead peo
pie to believe no could not quite forget his oil
habits and tastes. Now in my opinion, if h,
sold fresh cheslnuts and gave good measure, h
has no more reason to be ashamed, Of his oil
employment, a far more honorable one thai
half Of those followed by The rich men and 'el
egans" who frequent The grand saloons. Bu
we arc all victims of society, and until sociel,
uudergoes complete reform, truly honest EN-
plOyment will be despised and denied.