Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1860-04-20
4 STREET sWEEpERs STORY.

The late Mr. Smcox Of Harbournc, near
Birmingham. was on one occasion in London,
when he was obliged, in consequence, Of a
heavy shower of rain, to take shelter under
an archway. The rain continued for a long
time with unabated violence, and he was
consequently obliged to remain in his place
of shelter though beginning to suffer from his
prolonged exposure to the cold and damp at
mosphere. Under these circumstances he
was agrecably surprised when the door Of a
handsome house Immediately opposite was
opened and a footman in splendid livery
with umbrella approached with his mas
ters compliments, that he had observed the
gentleman standing so long under the arch
way that he feared he might take cold, and
would therefore be glad if he would come
and take shelter in his house-an invitation
which Mr.. SimcoX gladly accepted.
lie was ushered into handsomely fur
nished dining-room, where the master of the
house was sitting, and received from him
friendly welcome. Scarcely, however, had
Mr.. Simcox set eyes on his host, than he
was struck with vague remembrance of hav.
ing seen him before but where, or in what
circumstances, he found himself unable to
call to mind. The gentlemen soon engaged
in interesting and animated conversation,
which was carried on with increasing mutual
respect and confidence /; while all the time
this remembrance kept constantly recurring
to Mr.. Simcox, whose inquiring glance at
last betrayed to his host what was passing in
his mind. "You seem, sir, said he, "to
look at me as though you had seen me be-
fore" Mr. Simcox acknowledged that his
host was right in his eonjecturcs, but
confessed his entire inability to recall the oc
casion.
"You are right, SIR replied the old gen
tleman. "and if you will pledge me your
word as man of honor net to disclose 10
any ono that which | am now going to tell
you. until you have seen the notice Of my
death in the London papers, | have no obioc-
ton TO remind you where and how you have
seen me- Ia St. James Park, near Spring
Gardens, you may pass every day man who
sweeps a crossing there, and whose begging
is attended by this strange peculiarity-thati
whatever be the amount of the aims bestowed
on him, he will retain only halfpenny, and
will scrupulously return to the donor all
the rest. Such an unusual proceeding natu-
rally excites the curiosity of those who hear
Of it; and any one who has himself made the
experiment, when he happens TO be walking
by with a friend, is almost sure to say 20
him: "Do you see that old fellow there
lie is the strangest beggar you ever saw in
your life. If you give him sixpence he will
be sure to give you fvo-pence half-penny
back again" OF course his friend makes the
experiment, which turns out as predicted
and, as crowds Of people are continually pass
ing. there are numbers Of persons every day
who make the same trial and thus the old
man gets many half-penuy from the curosi-
ty Of the passcrs-by, in addition to what he
obtains from their compassion.
81, sir, continued the old gentleman, lam
that beggar Many years ago. first hit up
on this expedient for the relief of my then
pressing necessities, for | was at that time
utterly destitute; but finding the scheme
answered beyond my expectations. was in
duced to carry it on until had at last, with
the aid of proftuble investments, realized a
handsome fortune, enabling me to live in the
comfort in which you find me this day And