Middletown transcript., 1876-06-10

i
YOU | know all about your wife. Poor
thing! am afraid she will never re-
cover. And your seven children-Lord
bless their poor souls and bodies! II
has been hard trial for you as well,
and I don't see how you keep up such
good spirits. | wish | could give you
twenty-five dollars instead Of twenty
five cents
was watching his eyes and | read
him like book was stranger and
he reasoned that | had mistaken him
for some one else, and he hurried away
with the money without speaking
another word.
Keeping my eye on the man | saw
him rebuffed again and again, and pre-
sently laid my hand on his shoulder
and asked:
my good friend, didn't | hear you
ask that man for FIVE cents with which
to buy loaf of bread r /,
"He hesitated for moment, and
then, thinking I did not recognize him,
he answered:
"You did-you did. Ihave fever
sore and cant work, and haven't tasted
food for two days" :,
II have heard of your case before, !"
I said, looking him square in the eyes,
"and I'm willing to help you all l can.
It must be hard for man of your age,
after being familiar with luxury for
years and years. to be suddenly de-
prived Of wealth and social position,
crippled by disease, and compelled to
live as you are living now. | should
think you would sometimes almost be
driven to the point Of suicide
"Well-ah-ahem-well," he stam-
mered as be took che second shinplaster.
Iwalked around the crowd tefore l
found him again. He had made q
pretty good days work Of it, and feel
ing more indepedent he was selecting
his victims, choosing men whose liber-
aiity and innocence Of mind could be
read in their faces. stood behind and
heard him say to kindfaced old man:
"My wife is dead in the house, and
have no means to bury her.
The kind-faced old man hesitated.
even after putting his fingers into his
vest pocket, and said:
"Well, it's curious. | should think
that the overseer Of the poor, or some
other official, would have authority to
bury your wife at the expense Of the
town."
"They won't-Pve been to them two
or three times" replied the beggar.
wiping his eyes. "You don't know how
hard It is to have dead wife in"
"Oh, well, here's ten cents, said the
kind-faced man, handing over the scrip,
but speaking as if he doubted the beg
gar's word.
As the imposter turned away tapped
him on the shoulder and said:
"My poor, dear man, how my heart
bleeds for you! I stood there and
heard you appeal to that fint-hearted
miser, and / saw him hand you . pal
try ten cents. Can that man have q
heart? Can he feel for the sorrows OF
others? Can be be less than statue?"
The beggar's eyes betrayed his sur
prise at seeing me again, and plainly
saw that be was embarrassed
Il am poor" I continued. keeping
nv eyes upon him, "but you are worse
of. Your poor'dead wife must have a
Christian burial if l have to return to
Detroit on foot. Here is twenty-five
cents. am ashamed to offer you such
beggarly sum but I cant spare any
more"
"I-ah-ah," he stammered as he
took the money.
IF you were professional beggar, !
could detect it in your face" | said,
greatly enjoying bis embarrassment
"You are not. One has only to glance
at you to see that you have culture and
refinement, and that you ask aims from
dire necessity. feel deeply for you.
and | wish | could be Of service in some
way"
He limped away without raising bis
eyes, and | suspected that | had lost
him. He sat down on the steps Of q
grocery store for about fifteen minutes,
and then, arguing with himself that !
had departed, he limped into the crowd
again. | followed him arouna and
heard him tell several different stories,
and at length tapped him on the shoul-
der. He turned quickly and extending
my hand, | enquired:
How do you do, Mr.. Grote?"
He held out bis hand, drew it back
again, and refused 10 grip me when
got hold Of it,
Il heard about your bouse burning
down last night" | continued, looking
him in the eyes as earnestly as | could:
''you have lost everything, while |,
though not wealthy, have much left.
have been looking for you all the morn
ing want to give you small dona-
ton in cash."
He tried his best to look me 10 the
face, but he could not. He was con-
fused, ashamed and vexed, even though
be was making money out Of it. As
released his hand to get at my wallet,
he skunk away, and after long search
found him seated on the wreck Of a
canal boat eating decayed orange and
wearing disconsolate look. Standing
on the bridge l called to him:
Baxter! Baxter I've collected some
money for you to buy another COW
with"
He threw away the orange, muttered
something that sounded like "Kussim, =
and hurried off down the tow path.
As an experiment it was we'll worth
aavnnfv-fivn cents