, 1875-08-25
CONFESSIONS OF a vAGRANT.
(From the Ismes.)

The Charity Organization Society's ENG
land) Reporter prints the following letter, which
may be considered as a continuation of one
from the same writer printed last week:-
"Sherborne Union Workhouse, April 10.
1675.-Honoured Sir,-I duly received your
note of the 18th inst, to which | now reply.
I commence with the quack doctors. In the
hrst place, | must tell you that | never engag-
ed in the dirty business on my own account.
] have been a tool in the hands of others. The
first time it was in Yarmouth. A quack who
was lodging at the same ken with me asked
me if l was willing to earn a couple Of shillings
easily. | replied in the affirmative. This
was to come into the market-place in the after
noon, while he himself was expatiating on the
virtues of his infallible medicines, and purchase
half-a-dozen boxes Of the pills, saying that my
self and others had derived immense benefit
from their use, and that, for the future, l was
resolved never to be without them, the money
10 pay for them having been given me before
band by the doctor (save the mark. Well, I
carried out my Instructions to the letter, and
so well pleased the modern AGsculapius, that in
the evening he employed me to work for him
asa salary of 91 per week, besides travelling
expenses. l was now to be initiated in the sub
lime mystery of compromising the medicines
almost invariably pills My duty was to collect
the ingredients, and [ now solemnly declare
that got them ready made from the sheep
fold or the rabbit warren. Those from the
sheepfold had to be considerably reduced in
size, after which they were coated with finely
pulVerized sugar and flour, and, after being
dried to a proper consistency, were placed in
plll-boxes, which are easily obtained, and then
hello forth to the dolts who were silly enough
70 listen to him as American Sugar-coated
pills. purely vegetable, and warranted not to
contain one particle of mercury, colocynth, or
0ther deleterlous poison, so extensively used
by regular doctors. These pills are a sover-
elgn remedy for bilious disorders, liver COM
plants, dyspepsia, or indigestion, the symp-
toms OF which are learnedly described by the
orator (which was generally myself, learnt
by heart from the medical work by DIR. Buch-
Anan. When we were travelling in country
villages there was no ill which flesh is heir to-
but my master-blatant ignoramus as he Was
would not undertake to cure-worms, piles,
fusky or itch, govt, rheumatism, ulcers, fits,
&C.; but the naked truth is that he was q
greater fool than /. He could not read a para
graph 10 a newspaper, and could scarcely
write his own name. He knew no more about
the maladies he protested to cure than q hog :;
out ne possessed in an eminent degree that
grand indispensable qualifcatiOn-any amount
of cheek, and his takings on an average were
&10 a week. l travelled with this man for
about four months, chiefly in the Eastern Coun-
ties, when l expressed a desire to leave him,
when he Immediately offered to raise my wages
by giving me 25s. a week, but ] would not &C.
Cept it and left him. / have travelled with
three others, all of the same kidney, since that
time Suffice it to say that q set of more I'M
prlncipled, Ignorant rascals never disgraced
earth. Perhaps, Sir, you may think that by
turning Queens evidence / am worse than
the ones | impeach but I don't wish to ex-
onerate myself, for / confess that I am about
the most worthless of beings. But the truth
ought to be known. Poor people ought not to
De systematically robbed by quack doctors or
any other description of rogues; for rogues,
%vasoals, and liars are the whole fraternity,
myself included. Yours unworthily, G.. A.
BRIEE. P. ST. was born October 30,
ASIA"