Richmond daily times. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1853, 1853-01-01
THE DAILY TIMES
VICTIMS.


After the first decided step towards disrespec-
liability, the incipent Uictim may for some time
keep up appearances in small degree. He may
venture to appear on the principal thoroughfares
IN the evening, or in a crowd going to church;
and if you meet him, he shakes you off a remark
ably goed-humored nod from one side of his head,
as if there had been nothing the matter with him.
But by and by, this last shred of privilege leaves
him, and he becomes condemned to the back
streets and the shabbiest parts Of the town. He
IS now found wearing white hats when all other
people are wearing black ones, ndulging in OBJ
solete fashions of coats, and adopting strange
habit OF carrying of his gloves in his hand,
even III cold weather. In time the apparel gets
hreadbare-st torn -patched-darned
let ink, thread and judicious arrangement of
person, do their best. He begins to wear a sus-
picious amount of witty brown linen in the way
of cravat. Collars fail. Frills retire. The vest
IS closed to the uppermost button, or even
with supplementary pima pin, in some crcum-
stances, is the most squalid of all objects-at
top. Still, at this period, he tries to carry
Jaunty genteel air. he has not all forgot himself to
rags. But, see, the buttons begin to sbew some
thing like new moons at one side; these moons
become full; they change; and then the button is
only little wsp of thread and rags, deprived of
all retention over hole. His watch has
long been gone to supply the current wants Of
the day. The vest by and by retires from bust
ness, and the coat is buttoned up to the Chin
About this period, he perhaps appears in pair
OF nankeen trousers, which, notwithstanding the
codness of the weather, he tries to sport in an
easy, genteel fashion, as if it were his taste. If
you meet him at this time, and inquire how he is
getting on in the world, he speaks very confident
ly OF some excellent situation he has prospect of,
which will make hun better than ever; it is per-
haps to superintend a large new backing manu-
factory which is to be set up, and for which two
acres of stone. bottles, ten feet Deep have already
been collected from all the lumber-cellars in the
country-quite nice, easy business; nothing to
do but collect the orders and see them executed;
good salary, free house, coal, and backing; save
pound year on the article of backing alone
AT length-but not perhaps till two or three years
have elapsed-he becomes that lamentable picture
Of wretchedness which is his ultimate destiny;
mere pile of clothes without plea deplora
ble-a pictim
Mr.. John Kier was at one time, to all appear
ance, respectable nursery and scotsman in
Edinburgh. He seemed ali unusually smart ard
active man, and therefore we'll qualified to make
his way in life. | we'll remember with what an
almost magical degree of celebrity he could
tie up little parcels of seeds. The eye
ly lost sight of his fingers, as it ceases to in.
dividualise the spokes of wheel which is turned
with great rapidly. Kier was the inven-
tor of a curious tall engine, with peculiar
pair of scissors, for cutting fruit Oft trees.
This he sent through the principal streets every
day with one of his boys, who was instructed to
draw the string every now and then. SO as to
make the scissors close sharply. The boy would
watch his men-broad. skirted men with top
boots--and, gliding iu before them, would make
the thing clip. Boy, boy the stranger would
cry, whats that 3 The boy would explain; the
interrogation would be delighted with the idea of
cutting down any particular apple he chose out
| of thickly -laden and unapproachable tree; and
| after that, nothing more was required than to give
him the card of the shop. Unfortunately, Kier,
with all his cleverness, was wanting i'll steady
habits. This, with defective capital, ruined his
business prospects, He failed in vain to
get a situation as traveller, clerk, or even
ST opman-and ere long sunk into victimhood.-
! After losing him for two or three years, one
day met him on road a little way out Of town.
| He wore coat buttoned to the chin, and which,
being also very long in the breast, according to a
| fashion which obtained about the year 1913
seemed to enclose his whole trunk from neck tc
groin. With the usual cataract of cravat, he
wore hat of uncommonly melancholy aspect
His face was inharned and agitated; and as he
walked, he swung out his arms with STANCE EN-
phatic expression, as if he were saying: Il an
an ill-used man; shall tell it to the world Mi
sery had evidently given him slight craze, as il
often does. Some time afterwards, | saw him
little revvified through the influence of some
leathern parcel which he bore under his arm, t,
be engaged in some small agency. But this was
a mere flash before expiration. He relapsed tt
rags and to wretchedness, and finally disappear
ed, and was seen no more.
Looking at uictinss as they appear.in the daily
walk, it is difficult to imagine how they Obtain
the means of livelihood. They hang much abou
taverns in the outskirts of the town. Perhaps
decent man from Penicuik, with the honest rustic
IF Vol Tatno mi
CRATES to the Candle-maker Row or the Grass
market, and sets up small public house. Yol
may know the man by his corduroy spatterdashes
and the latchets of his shoes drawn through then
by two eyeholes. He is an honest man, believing
everybody to be as honest as himself. Perhap
he has some antiquated and prescribed right t,
the site of haystack at Penicuik, and is no
without some gmmerings Of a wish to try hi
fortune in the Parliament House. Well, the vic
tins soon scent out his house by the glare of hi
new sign. and upon him they fall tooth and nail
Partly through simplicity, partly by having hi
feelings excited regarding the stand of the hay
stack, he gives these gentlemen some credit
awhile you may observe aocking of victims to
) ward his doorway like the gathering of clean ant
, unclean things to Noah's Ark. But it is not al
, together case of deception. Victims, somehow
l or other, occasionally haze money True, it
D seldom insgreater sums fthan sixpence but ther
| consider the Importance of sixpence to focl
of victims. 1t effects lodgment, and meat an
f drink for day follow as an unavoidable conse
quence. Walters barrels in time run dry, an
he ceases to have the ability, even if he had tn
will to give further supplies; but then there is a
ways some new Walter ripening up as anotht
e gets exhausted. Our men have only to shift the
ground.
One thing is always very remarkable in vic
tims-namely, their extraordinary frankness an
polteness. A victim might have been an abs
Lutte bear in his better days; but hunger, it
said, will tame lion, and it seems to have thu
effect in subduing the asperties of victim
Meta victim where you will-that is, befol
be has become altogether deplora ble-and Yo