Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1880-11-13
How MAN WAS PROVED A pAupER.


A writer in "Frazer's Magazine" on
sc English Pauperism," after explaining
that the Friendly Societies of England and
Wales have membership of 4. 500, GOO per-
sons, relates this experience, which Illus
trates some of the characteristics of the
English lower classes
.sSome years ago l was travelling in
third. class carriage in the south of England.
/ was alone in my compartment, while the
other one became nearly quite filled up at
one of the stations where we stopped by a
number of builders men. One of these,
who seemed not too sober, shortly began
to utter volley of the most horribly foul
language. | called over to him in quiet
way sNeighbor, will you be kind enough
to use language little more decent, for
yours is distressing for other people to
hear?
g He turned round to tackle his inter
locator, very indignant indeed that |
should venture to take him to task and
his companions seemed to prick up their
ears in an amused and sympathetic inter-
est. l should like TO know he said,
% what the whatty business the likes OF
you has to find fault with the likes OF me.
I'm free born Englishman, and I'll say
Just what | choose.
90 Well, but, | rei0ined, I'm free
born Englishman, too, and Pm not bound
TO listen to the foul language you use, AID
| won't
a. Well, if you don't like my language,
what business have you here? | don't see
what right gentleman has in third
class carriage
self you come to rights, rejoined,
you'll allow that if you choose to take
first-class ticket you would have right IN
first class carriage? You wouldn't stand
my telling the guard to put you out, would
You?
"' Certainly not, he replied; I'd just
like to see him try
"'T Then, surely, if | choose to spend my
money in a third class ticket, have right
IN a third.class carriage.
"' Well, may be so but then you must
take your chance OF the conversation.
You're gentleman, suppose and say
again a gentleman has no business IN
third. class carriage
"a hum of applause followed this piece
of logic.
My good fellow l said, you have
so / didn't call you no names, he re-
joined
IS You did, 1 said you called me
gentleman. How dared you do it?
"' Well, said he, quite taken aback,
you're parson, l suppose?'
Yes, replied but you called me
gentlemen. What do you know about
me-you, who have never seen me in your
life before-to have the impudence to call
me such name? But, l added, fair is
fair. You have called me name that you
can show no reason for. Now, l will call
you name, and give a reason for it. And
your mates shall Judge between us. And
if they say I'm wrong, I'll beg your
pardon.
"'All right, master, that's fair enough
said one or two of his companions, and the
rest sat watching us with pricked up ears.
"'Wen, l continued, my free.born
Englishman, the name | call you is
pauper
.He jumped up, as if to scramble over
and strike me- and his comrades began to
look very furious. jumped up, too, to
meet him, with studied alacrity, which,
rightly judged, would tend to check his
ardor, and crying out Fair play I'm
coming over to prove my words, sprang
across into the one vacant seat of the par
tition, among them all, and faced my OPP
p0nent.
my lad l said to the man on my
right, are you in club?'
"'Yes,' he said, the Foresters.'
$50 Are you :? l went on, to the man on
my left.
90 Yes; I'm IN sthe Amalgamated En-
gineers.
"'And you, asked a third, what club
are you M
1.-the Hand-in-Hand.
"The fourth and fifth were Odd Fellows
and so on. As happened to have heard
and noted their conversation when they
entered the carriage, and had gathered that
they were all about to make payments to
their clubs, except my rhetorical friend,
who had mentioned having dropped off
from his club two years before, l came to
him last
"What club are you in 2 l asked.
GO I'm not in any, he replied.
CSC suppose you've got some pounds in
the bank 2"
"The rest laughed, for they had heard
las | had heard) him asking to borrow from
two or three of his companions.
'''Not l. he answered gruffiy I've
enough to do with all l earns
'''And if you break your leg as you get
out of the train to-day l asked, where
shall you be in weeks timer
"He hesitated.
"'Come, my lads I said, where will
he be 2
In the workhouse, of course, they
answered.
Then, am l right or wronga l re-
joined is he pauper or not? You are
all providing yourselves against sickness,
and you are independent but he-he is
depending on the rates, upon me and upon
you, and he is a pauper, nothing more nor
less. Need l beg his pardon for calling him
by wrong name?
"They agreed, as / knew they would,
that was justified in my epithet, and the
little encounter gave me an opportunity OF
very pleasant conversation with these
worthy fellows. They clustered round me
like bees, and began to question me very
busily and anxiously about their insur-
ances.
'''Sir.' said one poor fellow, as he shook
my hand, Pm sure we're all thankful that
it was gentleman in our third-c car
riage that wasn't ashamed to talk to US
poor fellows for our good and you've told
us lot to make us think about and God
knows none of us wants to be pauper.
THE DEAD LETTER OFFICE.
II