River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1880-10-07
NEW YORK MENDICANTS.
where the street Tramps sleep in the
summer 'Eime.
New York Tribune

W men the WIND blows cola ana the
air is crisp with frost it is not an I'M
common thing to meet at evening in
the streets of New York, especially be-
low Canal street and in the BOwery,
beggars whose claim to consideration is
either hunger or the assertion that they
have no place to sleep. The plea of
hunger is perennial, but the request of
money to pay for a nights lodging is
one that is seldom or never preferred
at this season by the sophisticated or
professional beggar. He does not now
sigh for the shelter of a lodging house,
but is well content to forego the ac-
commodations which later he will beg
to secure. The lodging house keeper is
not at present the person to whom he
must look for such disturbed slumber
as, in winter, he can snatch in the brief
truces between himself and the preda-
tory insect band whose name is legion.
1t is the policeman who is the autOcrat
of his bed-chamber in summer, and the
canopy is the sky. If he can only
manage to escape the notice of the
man with the club and of-hand
manner, he is willing to insure the rest
and to discount the worst efforts of all
the mosquitoes in Manhattan Island.
Where does the homeless beggar of
New York sleep in the summer-the
beggar whom the attractions of green
fields, babbling brooks, hen-rOosts and
potato patches cannot seduce from the
city to be a country tramp? The re-
porter whose duties lead him about the
streets at midnight stumbles upon him
i'll many places; sees him curled up
in doorway, stretched out in some
hospitable truck wagon that has been
left in the street, or wandering away in
search of some secluded spot where
neither the light from the street lamps
nor the policeman's eye will find him
out. And he may be found on the
benches in the public parks, where he
enters upon possession ut the witching
what classes of people enjoy these
parks, and when. OF those who make
use of the seats and shade for the leis-
ure hours of the day nothing need be
said, for it is patent fact that old men
and children under the charge of their
white-capped bon'es are then largely in
possession. As evening approaches
the children go away home, and their
places are taken by a variety of men,
many of them young and well-dressed.
These do not, as a rule, remain long
enough to decide where they will go to
seek amusement. When the last meal
OF the day has been eaten and the
dishes have been cleaned, the servant
girls and their male friends begin to
appear III the parks. To watch them
closely is to discover that the poor girls
are invariably so wearied by the labOrs
of the day as to need the supporting
arms of their escorts, which are never
denied them. After an hour or two
spent in the mildly exciting pleasure Of
talking and being Rugged, Bridget, |
Mary and Julia 90 their ways to rest |
and little later the beggar begins to
sink into the parks and to court forget |
fitness of his daily Indebtedness in |
sleep. 1t may be that honest working |
men have been in the parks to breathe |
for few hours a better air than they |
can hope to find at their hot lodgings. |
These begin to go when the beggars |
and tramps come, in order not to be |
COMPOUNDED with them.
Where has the beggar been since the |
sun set? Walk in any of the streets |
adjacent to the park and the question
will answer itself As you go along |
YOU will become conscious at times of |
a shadow-even though it be night; a
shadow that is erect and walking. If
YOU show that you are conscious of its |
presence, the chances are that you will |
hear the shadow muttering some words, |
among which may be distinguished "a |
few pennies" and mot bite to eat"
This shadow is the beggar who, unlike |
the wise husbandman, strives to make |
hay while the sun does not shine, and |
who YEARLY "moves on" through fear
of the police, until he has moved with |
the hours to midnight. He then goes
to the parks and sleeps, unless the
park policeman. who must rem ain |
awake himself, maliciously decides 10
keep him awake also. And this is !
usually the case, for it is an every !
night affair for the man in gray uni
form to fit about through the parks |
and roughly shake into semblance of |
wakefulness the wretched creature he |
finds, and admonishes him not to sleep. |
With a growl that is an oath the beggar /
declares himself awake and straightway |
mods again This is often repeated dur !
ing the night At earliest dawn the |
policeman makes a final round AMI |
with the voice OF authority announces |
that sleep must positively have ending. |
This time he is obeyed. though with the /
slowness of unwilling acquiescence. |
The beggar sits sullen, blinking and !
vawning. until he finally becomes |
thoroughly aroused when he rises and /
disappears. Usually as he sinks away, |
he seems like one whois drunk, many /
times a day. if not many days entirely |
dunk" He is sad specimen ofruined |
manhood. of an utter mental and moral |
waste.
There i considerable flow Of Indi- /
ans from Piedmont to Sicily into the |
southern ports Of Galveston, New Or
leans Pensacola. Mobile anC Savannah. /
These people already contr j the fruit |
trade and the local fisheries in their |
new homes, besides many another |
small trade, and are notably thrifty and /