The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1877-03-15
NOTHING A YEAR.
AN IN7ERES7ING ESSAY on BEATS.

Not Of the Vegetable Kingdom, But O.
The Species Known as Dead,
Tho original dead is to be
found in all grades of society, in all
parts of the world, of all ages and
nationality, and embraces both
sexes in fact they are so numerous
apd changeful that to tell one on
sight would take more than the
wisdom of Solomon or the acutoness
Of Philadelphia lawyer; aside
from mingling with the cren,e-dc.la
creme, con change" in frst-class
commercial circles, in all the pro
fcssions, and above all in connection
with political cliques and politicians
at large.
Hotel propriotors and boarding
house keepers perhaps suffer more
than any other class of these credi-
tors of the world, for, as the world
owes them living, eating and
sleeping being absolute necessities
for continuance of life. as a matter
of course, those who unsusp ectingly
provide them with these neccs sitics
expecting an equivalent, are
mulcted, for board bill is the last
thing beat would think Of paying !;
If he ever dreams of paying anything
it would be whiskey bill, for bar
tenders as rule are too "Ay" for
them.
Not long since party in Now
York when finally caught in the act
openly boasted that for over two
years he had lived at the finest up
town boarding houses and not paid
one cent during that time for board !;
he was gentlemanly in appearance,
we'll dressed, in possession of fine
conversational powers and a regular
"masher" among the ladies his
neodus operundi was to Gull at u
first class boarding house, engage
apartments, and before partal1ing Of
the first meal inform tho land lady
that he "cculd not get his baggage
over the ferry that morning." chad
not arrived at the express office
yet, "was delayed on the road by
an accident" etc, etc, always franz
ing some plausible excuse so as to
o"'n r. fncthola nnd in the interim
maklng hlmselt agreeable to all the
ladies in the house, particularly the
landlady and her daughters, if per
chance she had any, being pianist,
a good reader, q charming dancer,
and with such swimming ways" that,
before she is hardly aware of the
fact, he is "into her" to the tune Of q
months board, and some fine morn.
ing MIR. d. B. steps out and forgets
to return, and goes in search of
s'tairer fields and pastures new"
Another class of dead~beats are
those who watch their chance at our
larger hotels and when no ono
is looking, slip into the dinipg-room
and steal q meal /; some have got
this systematized down to 80 fine q
point that they can tell to nicoty
at just what hour and minute they
stand a better chance as a matter
Of course where two or three hun
dred people are sitting down to a
meal it is hard matter to disc III
one person who has not register
ed.
Still another class are those who
~ stopping at hotel have q fair
showing of baggage, but which in
'eallty is worthless this class have
many devices, such as screwinr
heir trunks to the floor after sur
'eptiously getting what little cloth>
ng they have out of the houses,
illing their valises with anything
leavy available and some have gone
10 far rs to have patent yalises made
o order that will double up like q
patent dinner pail, and aftor having
'ut all the clothing it contains on
N their back, after getting two or
hree days board, cody fold ur
heir valise and put it in their
'ocket, taking the first opportunity
o repack it apd play the game on
mother hotel.
Perhaps the worst ANNOYANCE to
otel men are the female beats with
'hich the country is flooded they
ravel on their winning ways" and
et into the landlord before he
nows it, and when they gro Justly
unished, which is very seldom, fail
ack on the plea that their :'sex pros
ects them."
Not long since lady (?) was driv-