Martinsburg weekly independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1873-1875, 1874-01-10
Chinese ReRrars

may be divided into three principal
classes, each miserable, dirty and de-
signing; but with differences. which
must excite and demand pity in varying
degrees One class, the most numer-
ous-perhaps the most powerful best
organized, and most prolific ia resources
lis under ''head man" a species of
gypsy king. This man is raised 10 bis
high digBIty on account of his superior
talents as knaveaud extorter ofmonev
Whatever the beggars procure Nv beg
ging says The writer Of Chinese ro-
nance, sis given to the head man. and
in time Of rain and snow. when they
cannot follow their vocation, their chief
provides them with food and supplies
them seth clothing. We would here
remark, that if the fod is as fragmenta-
~ as we know, from personal oberva-
ton the clothing always is, the beggars
must live occasionally on extremely
short commons. The head mans du-
ties are to estimate the wealth aud re-
sources Of the chief shops in the cities.
excepting, it is said, the shops Of tailors
and other artisans He goes around to
the owners Of these shops, aud bargains
withthem till they come to satisfactory
terms. Two slips of paper, one green
and the other red, are then pasted up in
the shop. on which are set forth the
head mans name, the amount of black
mail agreed upoa he days of payment,
and warning to the fraternity not to
annoy the saop keeper. The shop is
thus protected. for time being, against
molestation by this mans tribe; but If
the owner refuses to come to terms. the
consequences are disastrous, for crowd
Of ragged, filthy, brazen- faced stentorian
beggars is let loose upon him, aud the
transaction Of business is rendered impos-
sible, until at length, in despair, he
gladly agrees to pay heavier contribn-
ton than At first demanded. The pay
ment thus made by large shops is from
thirty to thirty-five shillings a year.
Only men aye admitted into these clubs
or guilds, and they will draw from the
funds accumulated, as before described,
certain stipulated sums, according to
their abilities The ceremonies attend
i { births, marriages and deaths furnish
The beggars with great opportunities. If
wedding be going on, they appear,
shouting, Good luck to you may VI
gov ia wealth aud increase in honorsl
may your halls be filed with gold and
precious stones ! may you have numer-
Gus socs and daughters;good luck to you,
good luck to you r On receiving
small gratoity they depart, bnt only to
return the next day, and after the ex pres
sion 81 further congratulatory senti-
ments, TO demand the fragments If the
marriage feast. Much the same takes
place after funeral feasts, aud on such
occas ons it sometime happens that
considerable sum has to be distributed
among the beggars before they will
allow the burial or ancestral sacrifice
to proceed without interruption. Toat-
tain this end they even go to the length of
getting into the grave and preventing
cofin from bein lowered The follow
ing is a curious use to which beggars are
sometimes turned When very irate
creditor is weary Of bis debtors delay,
and cares more to annoy the man than to
possess the money. he gives his bill to
these beggars-compounding perhaps,
FOR part of the spoils and sending them
day by day to worry the miserable debtor
into settling the account. Among their
ether means Of gaining living, beggars
are employed to bury criminals after an
execution; others, again, act the part of
shipwrecked sailors, de-, dc, and spread
before them on the ground narrowing
description of their sufferings Some
attach whisps of straw to their children,
thereby implying that in consequence of
the extreme distress of their parents, they
are for sale, though, If the truth be
known, it would probably be fonnd that
these very children had been before hired
to be pinched, and made to cry in order
tn excite niEx