The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1859-05-19

barrow down till he could rest he cansized If and
soused the old fellow into the water. He stood
little to see the beggar gather himself up, but
he had only moment to laugh for the worthy
cripple found the use of his limbs, and if the
boy had not used his own quite nimbly. he
would have paid for his joke The begpar
came back, took up his bag, and went off. but
never returned to claim his barrow.
Every fair was crowded with beggars of the
most importunate and impudent type. They al.
ways had some burn, sore, or disability. to ex.
pose, tor the purpose of exciting sympathy, and
in most cases they were either feigned or self
inflicted. With loud and piteous cry thew
would beg for aims, telling with disgusting
minuteness their various rnaladies. They would
beg relief for the love of God, with manv prav.
ers and pious CALCULATIONS but if Won passed
them without giving anything, their blessings
soon turned into profane imprecations. 1t NAV
seem strange that this disgusting class was the
most successful, yet so it was. A strange super.
stition came to their aid. Many thought tina,
If they gave to the poor, they would be success.
ful In bargains. Horsejockeys, who had no
qualms of conscience about stimulating old
horses, and passing them off for colts, would
60 out OF their way to toss penny or two to a
beggar, listen to his prayer, and pass on, well
satlshed that the blessing of Him that was
ready to perish would rest on him that day.
Simple countrymen, too, who were afraid of be-
ing nipped by such sharpers, would be careful
to give the beggar copper in order to secure
his blessing. Thus our honest beggar, like the
crafty lawyer, took fee on both sides.
Some attached a great deal of Importance 10
the words good luck and bad luck, and none
more than the beggars themselves An old
woman, In house of one of my acquantances,
was going on with an eloquent harangue, when
In came the owner. He was a fnelOoking fell
low, with portly rotundity which would grace
the person of an alderman. With pleasant
smile, she made her courtesy, enchanting
God bless yer honor"
he happened to be in q peculiar humor so,
with wellfeigned frown, he replied
Bad luck to you"
Her sunshiney lowered into thunderstorm.
as she retorted-
:" Bad luck to yerself"
" Bad lack to you," he added, with empha.
sis,
She was afraid he might get the last word,
and Oft she started, saying, as she got to the
door
q" Bad luck to yerself, three times; God d-ga
ger soacl!" -
Many of our professional beggars endeavored,
like worthy saodas, to keep up with the times
Some were doctors, some took to fortune telling,
and others carried music or monkeys But the
oid-school beggars, who piled the simple art of
barney, manifested as much original talent as
any OF them, and perhaps succeeded as WE'LL
The buckle beggar, like the gentle beggar,
does not properly belong to this category, hav.
ing the name, and nothing more. In Ireland,
marriages are always solemnized by clergy
man. No respectable clergyman would marry
a couple, unless the parents on both sides were
agreed. When minister was silenced for i'm.
morality, he still claimed the right of marrying,
and often was glad to take any Job he could get.
All who ran away had to hunt up such char
acter as that to couple them. Out of contempt,
1t was called bnckling the beggars and he who
performed the ceremony was called a buckle
beggar de charged shilling, and took his
pay in advance.