Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1867-04-26
CONCERNING LoAFERs.

I
The loafer is an animal whose history
habits and destiny may be studied witt
/ proht--an encouraging fact, for il has beer
tue prevalent belief that no profit whatever
was to be derived from the creature. The
moral and intellectual Darwin who shall IN
the future, courageously seek too find out in
what vie germ of organic existence the
Loaier mad hls ealamitons origin, through
what low forms OF disreputabie reptile life
ne reached ms present status ia the abDor-
mai economy OF things, and to what further
development Of cOntempdbility his exist
ence tends, will find broad field ready for
his cultivation. The curious student og
original sin who shall endeavor 10 ascar-
tain how it was possible to plant in the pri-
NAL soil of human nature, seeds of egil DO
tent enonRh 20 sprout into the s.osaszfae lnaf-
ers OF cur day, win hnd himself utterly baf-
fed, and the reformer who shall endeavor
to mitigate the misery, which loaferish ex-
lstence entails on humanity, win be appall-
ed at the magnitude of the task.
The problem is infinitely complicated by
the traces of human characteristics existing
in the subject How any individual, With
human brains in his head and the sublime
possibilities of a human destiny within his
reach, can possibly reduce himself to the
condition of the loafer, is puzzle enough to
stagger the oldest philosopher. There is no
use trying to understand how Man can ever
take to purposeless lounging on street corn
ers; lettering at crossings with no hope save
to see lady's stockings; standing on the
pavement dead stumbling block to all pro-
gress; bawhng vile inuendos to his fellows
that he may see a passing woman blush !;
haunting the doors of halls and churches TO
see what indecent things he can say of de-
cent people; living his life with no purpose
apparent save TO humble the pride Of human
nature by proving how base it may become.
The loafer Is a fact; we know it, but no man
can understand it.
Possibly nowhere else does the vile breed
so flourish as In Pittsburgh. The vermin
oyerrun the city. The pavements are not
worn smooth with tbe walking of live men,
but are worn into holes where the loafers
stand. The corners are not places of pas
sage, but good places for loafers TO lean
against The public doors are not 50 much
means Of ingress and egress as convenient
exchanges where loaters may meet aud bar
ter their foul stock of obscenity The city
seems in manner TO exist for the convent
ence of ioafers. Every available window
stone Is black where loafers have sat upon
j GNGLN gutter sIuWH ktlc LUOL pEAuLs tl
men and women who have been crowded off
the pavement By loafers. Every lady, IN
less she be deaf, is in constant peril of in
suit.
Let no injustice be done Not all of the
vile tribe who swarm sc thiekly are denizens
Of the Hill or of Bull Run. Not all
Of them wear their hair cropped and go in
rags. A large percentage Of them have ac-
counts with our best tailors, patronize our
best BARRIERS, and go home when they do go
home, to brilliant parlors, and dance, posi-
LIZ. --;ak como ef sla ladies' uhnsa oars
were insulted BY their vicious talk on hour
ago.
What can be done? The evil is a most
pestilent one, and the call for a remedy i'm
peratiye. Il is useless to appeal to the sub
jects OF our complaint to mend their own
ways, for one who is mean enough to be a
professional loafer, Is mean enough not to be
ashamed of it. II they cannot all be arres-
ted, or made to move Ju, or obliged to
work, what can be done? Is there no phi
lanthr0pist ingenious enough to devise a re
lief, and bold enough to demand its adop
ton p Pittsburgh ChrOatcie