The New Orleans Democrat., 1876-06-25

Honesty Is the best pOllcy.-d1SO
thing OF q painter in his day, but had
been compelled to give that up, his
hands trembled 50.
"What did want to know?
BEGGING.
Something about begging. How
many begGars are in the city? l can't
say for sure, but expect there are over
two hundred professionals, and as many
more that come out on fete days. New
Years. Christmas, Good Friday, etc.
I've seen frequently on st. Charles and
Camp streets the children OF respect
able, II not wealthy parents, asking
passers-by for money, IL that's begging.
There used to be two little girls on the
corner OF Camp and st. Joseph that
raked in quite lively pile every even
| ing, and then went and spent 1t for ice
cream and candy. Ought to have got a
sound whipping.
"Do many children beg on their own
hook Thank God, no. They gene
rally work or steal In preference; tney
havn't imagination enough to he well.
There is that little swarthy italian boy
that frequents the steps OF the st.
| Charles: tells q long story about q
widowed mother and six brothers. Ii
YOU ask him for their names, he can
only count four. The youngest is two
wears old his father died ten years ago.
No: the boys have no show at the bust
ness tho girls generally 60 to the bad,
and early enough, too. l could point
you out hundred cases. There Is tnat
little Italian girl that used to beg at the
corner of Canal and Dauphine. she
now come out in different character ;
she can't be over fifteen. Any story
about her? Oh, no: nothing very ro-
mantle; an easy fall. Just glance IN
the faces Of some Of the men along Ca
nal street at night, and you can judge
what chance girl has alone there.
A SAD SCENE.
"By-the-by, do you remember 9
woman that, about two years ago, used
to beg near the corner OF Canal and
bourbon. She generally had two small
children by her, lying on the cold stone
pavement. and pale, cOrpse-like, dying
baby in her arms. 1t was on the way
uptown from the opera and never LADY
Dassed the crouohing woman, the shlv-
ering children, the dying baby, but gave
her money and sympathy;
"Well, she was q real PAD one, ina
woman. l knew her we'll. She came
down here from Chicago, and was nc
more the mother Of those children than
I am-borrowed them, leased them
/ Why. il any one had noticed, they
would have seen that the children
changed their size and appearance every
week or so: and as for that baby, tha'
moor. dear, dying little infant-if the
| ladies' had only looked little closer
4 they would have seen it was nothing bu
4 a bio wax doll. but then the ladies, yol
know. don't like looking at dying per
son. As for the womdn,s pale, thli
cheeks and sickly appearance. tnat wa
fall CANNON, too. When she was OF
duty she was red-faced enougn-sns'
loved whisky-but a little pismutl
rubbed on her face made almost
cornse OF her and was splendid ticke
with the ladies.
"Just across the street, on the wind.
corner Of ST. Charles, there USED U
grind a wheezy old organ that piaye,
only two sickly tunes. a thin, paIllo
poorly-clad little woman. She, too
generally had child with ner, sieepln'
n her lab. q pretty little girl with ros.
cheeks. sweet blue eyes and long goldel
cnrls The child was q melancnol
contrast TO her, was chubby and fat
neatly and cleanly dressed, and covere
with ribbons. No person ever req ulre
a second glance to assure him that Ia
woman was not the mother nor an
relative at all. There was no resem
! blance between them in any feature.
! $50 everybody Thought, but l kne'
J better. It was the old story OF th
: mother sacrificing everything Tor ia
5 child. really believe she enjoyed II
j companionship, although the cnlie
: with children's selrfshness, was AWAY