Bradford opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1874-1881, 1874-10-17
Our New York Letter.
New YORK Der. 10, 1874.

The profession of begging has
overfowing ranks here just at pres
ent. Under some form or other i
crosses your path at every stree
corner, at your houses, counting
rOoms-even at your church door,
on Sunday its votaries exhort, bles.
or curse you according as you heed
or pass them by.
Three distinct elements comprise
this eleemosynary class The gen
tcel professional the pathetic plead
er and the out and outer. A dis
ciple under the first head, 1 may de
scribe as ascosting you in your city
sanctum.
"Mr. Editor, how do you do, sir
Busy / see, but then we members OF
the press really have no time We
can call our own. I've become deep
ly interested in the OPINION of late,
my dear sir, have watched it's course
carefully and been amazed at the
stupendous strides it has fearlessly
taken, on the side of radical pro-
gress and reform"
OF course you gracefully acknowl-
edge the compliment, but confess
you havn't the pleasure, to your
recollection, of the gcntleman's ac.
quaintance.
"Ten thousand pardons my dear
sir; my card-Smith of the Nation
al Retormer. Powerful sheet sir,
wields an influence perfectly as
tounding-its principles no more to
be bought by the opposition, than
single copies half an hour after
leaving the press.' The conversa
tion runs on after this style till the
stranger reaches for his hat and
cane, and after urgently calling on
you to stand steadfast in the ranks
of progress and individual liberty,
opens the door and bows himself
out; while you compose yourself
for a tussle with the Louisiana ques-
ton. A moment and he is is back.
"By Jove, will you believe it. l
find my funds have run so low, l
haven't enough change about me to
reach home, "a fine place in Harlem,
sir, oblige me by running down any
time.) A personal favor, my dear
fellow, if you'll lend me g." This is
my numerous genteel professional
beggar.
Enter No. 2. Face expression of
the most abject misery gait pain
fully halting; arm in sling ofan old
and a general make up
of slipshodity calculated to inspire
charity in the coolest bosom. "Kind
gentleman it's only little Pm asking
My wife is lying at home in convul-
sions with five small children at the
breast, having nothing to eat since
yesterday and Pm just from the hos
pital and not drop of work since
this time three months, and it's only |
1S cents for a bit of medicine I'm
asking and may the blessings of
the Powers be with you" This
breathless appeal would, no doubt,
stir you into the warmest sympathy
had not this same thirsty gentleman
in the same breathless manner, the
night previous, poured into your
ear how the convulsive wife had
been in the lone grave for five long
years, and he a shaving to support
nine small children, when his ''leg
was broke by a fall" But of course
you can't expect a man who travels
all day, to keep a game leg more
than "a hours, when all arm can be
slung up for a change.
Far be it from my intention to
cidicule the deserving cases appeal
ng to us for assistance, but these
seldom come in this guise. There are
openings in every Ward
or aiding those worthy of charity,
md it is only those who can not so
obtain it because not deserving
he charlatans of beggars-who i'm
fortune us with absurd and improb.
lble tales of woe.
There is something which COM
nends No. 3 to our favorable notice.
ike the rest he has his sorrows, I
'ut his story bears evidence of
ruth on the very face of it. "See
ere, friend, Pm hard up tonight,
ant you give a feller 5 cents for
rink of whiskey?" Now, there's
so refreshingly cool about
his, that you can't help standing
If and gazing admiringly at the
IAN. The convulsive wife; the
mall starving children; the hospi-
al; the suspended arm; the game
gall represented whiskey in
athletic disruisa. Rnt No. g isn't {