The New Orleans Democrat., 1876-06-25
STREET BEGaARs.


STREET BEGaARs.
< rev stories About Thcm-Poverty,
CHARITY and Hunbuy.
-
Look,
Upon this poor and broken bankrupt here.
oHB-ARMED.
He was begging on the corner OF
Carondelet and Common, tall, thin
man with very expressive face-ex-
pressive Of whisky flushed with the
ruddy tinge OF coming morn" His
nose = large, aristocratic. bold - sug-
rested that same Bohemian diet. The
uncouth. matted beard he wore, pos
sibly originally iron grey like, the tufts
OF hair visible through the gable win
dows OF his airy old beaver, but now
dyed, by constant drippings. Of yell
loWish tobacco hue, bore testimony to q
breakfast OF onion stew, o culinary
composite sold only on the levee. His
shirt bore similar testimony as to his
morning meal; his pants were lot OF
rags cunningly sewed, pinned, pasted
together. The right sleeve OF his coat
was pinned up, showing that he had
lost his arm; upon the strength OF
which affiiction he appealed to the
public charity for assistance.
Cant you help poor Confederate
soldier 2" he asked US plaintively and
piteously. We gave him q dime, and,
like CanninG's phiianthroplst, asked lh1a tGr
words @ !: the charge at Gettysburg, the
fash Of the artillery, his shattered arm,
the deserted battle field, the Duzzards.
whooping around him, his longing de-
sire for death, the relief and his subse-
dllent cure.
He was at his post again the next
evening when we passed. We asked
him for his story again, 1t had 80 touch
cd us. Perhaps we threw some brogue
into our question, for 1t was not at Get
tysburg that he was wounded, but at q
Drop something or other = in the Ould
Counthry." He told us his story half q
dozen times. and every time differently:
That arm Of his went whizzing around
tina world from continent to continent,
had fought with Garibaldi at Marmara,
died with Stonewall Jackson In the Val
lev. It had as many graves as Homer
had birthplaces.
BBGGAR's HOTEL.
A certain something in his stories
pleased us and we followed him up, one
eyeninR. determined to corner him and
get the real truth after ell. He was liv-
fnr In q rickety mud or adobe house on
Broad street, an unpainted, unwnite-
washed, orle-storied anafr, from the
front OF which the rotten plaster had
3. la, Ina viuu rrrulv hiO ulcArOua sores
Here, my good fellow" said we, as
he was about stepping inside; you've
got fifty cents out OF me already, by
-Four lies. I'll make it dollar ii you'll
y tell the truth and shame the devil:
"Of course / will," said he, grabbing
the fifty-cent bill. II have no objections
il the world, but you won't. find it near
a. interesting as the lies told. How
did lose my arm? Why, IN q railroad
accident out in Missouri, l got Two
hirh FOR q wear; got drunk on my arm
every night. It was more money than
/ had ever seen before, and when it gave
I. out, went to the devil and had to beg.
That's all.
"and all those stories Of yours. then,
s'Rather," he replied, unblushingly.
II always tell them to suit my GUS
toners. Generally, locate my arm IN
the latest war; It pays best. Why; do
YOU know that II was to label 1t as lost
IN the Revolutionary war, notwitnsIahu.
ing flre-crackers, centeIfnials, WHISKY
and patriotism, / wouldn't take In a
dime day? 1t we had a war with Spain
a Mexico tomorrow, ] would credit
this game arm OF mine to them, as sure
a. shooting-and do a handsome busi.
ness with It..
AZ want to find out something about
begging in New Orleans. Do you gel
much money here?"
"Well. it's pretty place for the busi'
rass' but I've been hard up here
sient In the Lafayette Square, with tht
nolfcemen roofing around and waking
me up every half hour; made my toile.
1. at the water plug; pulled IN my Delt a.
inch or two for breakfast; it's almost al
.sxsSsd ld No a square meal to q hungry
stcmach. Used to get my dinner down
- fha French Market out OF the tubs
tSav throw the old fruit and fish anc
trssh into: perhaps the fruit was
1919 over ripe sometimes, but that's nc
lnlh;cction: llS;.S q bad banana is as filling as
Ic1an good ones. But here's knoed
i.r. ne kept this house; there are
dnzen or SO OF US here; he can tell yo.
ali about begging, and wnat ne eau
tell ycuthe'll lie about. Mr
rld,sr Lns was a small man. with,
siirht. thinnish red moustache, ana and,
.,,,a timorous manner. he spoK
a.,ertiv INT with slight foreign ae
nact IA expressed his willingness =
tSl1 eony .,a All about the profession. ne We
.o.t .nt ! - heocar ~ himself; had been some