The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1871-01-21


houses without any foundation, expecting S
miraculous foundations to spring up from no
one knows where. {
In the city Of Boston, Mass, where the !
atmosphere is said to be so cold, and the {
peoples hearts so warm, where tie panora- !
va Of the . Almighty dollar" is always pass !
ag. where charity is so abundant and Dow !
erty so rare, where the streets are so crook |
ed and the blue laws so straight; in that
gOOdly city, not many years ago, a poor
musician, hOuseless and homeless, weary and !
forlorD, walked the streets at evening time ,
unosred for and uncsriug, hungry and de-
spairing, cherries and alone. The class
Of people usually SO anxious for the wei
fare Of others made no inquiries about this
man. But he Bad a sort Of frend-a forty
years companion-d flute. He could not
then waste its sweetness on the Boston air,
for the Boston air would freeze both it and
him Moreover, Boston was overstocked
with flute players. So the patriarch walk
cd slow y on, weary and faint, until be came
to a tavern that may yet live in the memo
~ of the solid men. Timorous and SILVER
ing, be entered the bar room and modestlv
seated himself in an old arm chair. This
was his FIRST visit to place Of the kind.
He probably would have gone into book
store but for the fear Of being arrested or
into high priced grocery but for fear Of |
being put out, He had never acquired
that assurance " hich many people mildly |
term ''cheek," but which the law terms
''trespass"
''Wbat is it, old man ~ said the landlord.
sale and sherry, porter, brandy, gin and
rum, tea and coffee, weak drink, stFonc
drink, come now what would the old man
like y
Il am poor and hungry. | am ashamed
10 say 80; but | must | am almost too
proud to beg, and have not the energy
God pardon me for calling it by that namel
TO steal. l know what many Of the voupq
men Of New York and Chicago would call
me, but perhaps their turn will com e b7e-
and-bye ] suppose I ought to 90 to the
aims house, but l really do not know where
that is. Besides am tplerable music
lan and every morning brings new hope
Unemployment and every night brings new
despair. People, wherever / 20, tell ne
that the supply of musicians is greater than
the demand, and 50 | get the cold shoulder
everywhere. Years ago | was told by some
20 60 west, others said | was too good
musician and untitled for life in that To-
oalIty, others again said half loaf was
better than no bread, and / chung to Bos-
ton, my home looking forward to the time
when less competent performers would find
their level ! never Wronged any one that
know OF, | am not dissipated man. nor
an unlndustrlOus one. I have never used
tobacco, never gambled, never kept comma
ny with disreputable men or women. I 90
to church when | can, but one wav and
another can scarcely say howl have
Lrlfted into position Of want and misery
AT my time oflfe I cannot we'll learn .
new occupation. When boy was taught
that to be successful a man should have but
one occupation and then stick to it I6ndi
this to be mistake in my case and in manyb
others have been out Of employmeD,jI
oae-hali ri my lifetime; but | hold fast t6jl
~" h""" .s.3sSsss,s.tItl 49,, 81
ill., uay every tnIng VIII cord
rfgft. When | do get employment al
not make enough to pay my losses, so | ID
always behind hand. There is something
lacking n my brain, | suppose, and it'll
knew bow to supply the deficiency | woua.
| do not know how to get new brains I gSn
sure. If | had spice of the devil in NE.
as ! have often been told, might hare
ProsPered. l suffer- that is about all
know, and somehow | do not exactly Tf4-
lleve / deserve to suffer so cruelty, butt
must be wrong. Folks used to say / H.
ways brought good luck to them but tbsv
took the luck and forgot the donor ] 40
not TeprOach them. | ask your pardon OR
this confession but my spirit is broken AID
my heart is crushed. Perhaps have livsd
too long. If 80 may heaven in mercy flsr
give me. / thought age was honorable.
Let me have a morsel of food if YOU lie
and bed, and perhaps the great God will
reward you if / never do or if il is wroap
to beg | will creep into some corner and a$e
without troubling you.'' 4
The landlord, who was not much ~
logician, had the humanity to give the ma
slclan supper and bed, and to refuse 10
accept bis flute as security for future pek-
ment There are many such landlords
They do not always become millionaire,
but they seldom have ''the nightmare" iTt
was an attic room that was assigned to ne
noun branee but he was pleased with 1t.
de even took the liberty to 90 down on Sis
knees to pray-a ridiculous proceedineiat
best when be might as easily have said his
prayers in bed where he could have byien
warm and comfortable and no exertt,n
necessary. This is what the old feIbw
said !.
81 hank heaven that misery and desti-
tuition have been thrown upon me. for VI tn
out them | should never have found Sbis
warm hearted landlord. 1t is BLESSING to
know such men. Grant oh God tba1 | |
may suffer often, if to suffer brings suchjre-
wards
Supper, lodging, and breakfast we're all
the landlord could afford to disburse and
his guest knew 1t so the only thipa he
could do was to 60 his way again. HE
wandered until be came to a court ibat
seemed more crooked than the rest That
seemed to have no outlet save that by which
be entered, and which said to him. Oh \
this won't do now do you 90 straight sack
BY the way you came in. We don't want
you here. Now march. Don't stand dnut-
tering but Co."
Now, Victor P, let US get al this dull
matter rightly. You wouldn't like to have
people coming and loafing about your pri-
vate apartments whep you were at work
Well then, don't you see if you make it
disagreeable for them to visit you theg will
not come again. Precisely; but you now
the old song about ''the duty of the strong
to protect the weak" Yes, that's all very
well 10 its way but give them a dol4a or I
two and send them off. Precsely-ants that i
encourages them to beg to become Paofes- I
sional beggars. Well. oct a railroad ticket :