The Ohio organ, of the temperance reform. (Cincinnati, [Ohio]) 1853-1854, 1853-06-17
Picking q Living from the .streete.


York, / know, but that you have indi-
viduals who get their food in the
Streets, l doubt I mean literally,
their foOd--who pick up such rejected
morsels as the servants have thrown
on the pavements. From my win
dow | see one Of these horrible crea-
lures every morning he is sregular as
d watehman upon his beat. Thechif-
oniers, or rag-pickers, exclude him
from their society he is admitted to
none Of their convivialities, and never
takes part in their annual banquet at
the Barrier. If you can conceive Of
q grade lower than that occupied by
the chifoniers, he certainly fills it /;
but there can be no rank below him.
His clothes are SO penetrated with
grease, and filth, that if he were SO
tnwise as to take them off, they would
fall to pieces from the effect. They
are tied on to his limbs by bits Of
twine and old remnants Of handker-
chiefs or towels that he has found in
the cutters. Whenever he Stumbles
upon piece Of carpet, or upon rag
ged dishcloth, he generally finds some
exposed partof his person upon which
to utilize it; and thus, incidentally,
while looking for his breakfast, he
finds his raiment. He has no shoes
nor boots, nor any leather at all about
his feet. They are enveloped thick
ly in wads of rags and tatters, till
they have lost all human form, and
have become shapeless clouts-a foot
through. He never washes, nor shaves,
nor combs his hair he never changes
his linen, nor sleeps in o. bed.r He
sleeps Ia crde--that is, he lies down
on the floor in company with others of
his sort, placing the nape Of his neck
in rope extended from the wall to
fall about six inches above the ground.
He pays two sous a night for this ac-
commodation. Where he obtains his
two sous l cannot tell he gets moth
ing in the street that can be convert-
cd into money. He is a collector Of
refuse in double sense for not only
does he take what has been left be-
hind by the mUre fastidious chiffon
ier, as valueless and unpalatable. -
He walks slowly and shufingly, never
scamPers to pile with, greedy haste,
to be the first to explore its contents ;
for he knows that what is the object
of his search will wait till he comes.
He kneels down over the heap, with q
squalid basket in one hand, using the
other to turn over the horrible mass.
A cabbage leaf, a fragment of lettuce,
sometimes an onion or the pealiDg Of
an onion, a feWturnip tops or slicings
of radishes, are the more usual god
sends that reward his search. They
form the basis Of his morning meal,
and are the ingredients Of his vegets-
bic soup. He may sometimes give il
a SAVIOR of flesh, if he is lucky enough
to find a bone, or some remnant 81
a chickens carcass. He upturns,
from time to time, a slice of toast, OF
the end Of a loaf, that a careless ser
want has tossed into the waste pan, {; il
it is soaked with muddy water-7as the
gutter usually flows close by--he
treads upon it to press out the hu.
midity, and then gently places It in
with the onion and the turnip-tops
He even collects potator paIings, if the
knife has been unskillful, and has left
any portion Of the potato clinging to
the skin. ! have seen him gather up,
with trembling fingers, d quantity ol
coffee grounds, as if he was collecting
pinches Of snuff All thisis to be
cooked over and made into an ola
podfida. So as the pot must be made
to boil, he is on the Took ;outl for odds
and ends of fuel, if any come in his
way-half Burned pieces of coal,
charred wood and anything that will
Il hold fire and evolve heat The same