Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1880-11-28
NEW YORK MENDICANTS.
Where the Street Tramps Pass Thei
Nights.

Where the Street Tramps Pass Thei
Nights.
When the wind bio as cold and the ali
is crisp with frost, it is not an uncom
mon thing to meet at eve ming in tht
streets of New York, especially below Ca
nal street and in the Bowery, beggar:
whose claim to consideration is either
hunger o. the assertion that they have
no place to sleep. The plea of hunger is
perennial, but the request for money tc
pay fer nights lodging is one that is
seldom or never preferred at this season
OF the year by the sophisticated or pro-
tesslonal beggar. He does not now sigh
for the shelter of lodging house. but is
content to forego the accommodations
which later he Will beg to secure. The
lodging-house keeper is not at present
the person to whom h, must look for
such disturbed slumber, as, in winter, he
can snatch in the brief truces between
| himself and the predatory insect band
whose name is legion. It is the police
man who IS the autocrat of his bed
chamber in summer, and the canopy is
the sky. If he can only manage 10 es
cape the notice of the man with the club
and otf-hand manner, he is willing to in,
sure the rest and to discount the worst
efforts of all the mosqait oes in Manhat-
tan island
Where does the homeless beggar of
New York sleep in the summer-the
beggar whom the attractions OF green
fields, Dabbling brooks, henroosts and
potato patches cannot seduce from the
city to be country tramp? The re-
porter whose duties lead him about the
streets at midnight stumbles upon him
In many places; seems him curled up IN
doorway, stretched out in some hos
pltable truck wagon that has been lett in
the street, OF wandering away in search
ofsom secluded spot where neither the
light from the street-lamps nor the po-
Lceman's eye will find him out. And
he may be found on the benches in the
pubic parks, where he enters upon pos
session at the witchlng hour of mid
night. 1t is curious to note what classes
OF people enjoy these parks, and when.
Ut those who make use OF the seats and
shade for the leisure hours of the day
nothing need be said, for 1t is a patent
fact that the old men and children under
the charge of their white capped BONES
are then large in possession. AS evening
approaches the children go away home,
and their places are taken by variety
OF men, many of them young and we'll
dressed. They do not, as rule, remain
long enough to decide where they Will 90
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 ap-
pear in the parks. To watch them close
ly 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, the girls go their way to
rest, and little later the beggar begins
to sink into the parks and to court for
getfulness of his daily wretchedness in
sleep. 1t may be that honest working
men have been in the parks to breathe
for few hours a purer air than they can
hope to find in their hot lodgings. These
begin to 60 when the beggars and tramps
come, order not to be COMPOUNDED with
chem.
Where hast he beggar been since the
sun set? Walk il any of the streets adj
jacent to the park and the question will
answer ltse-f. AS you go along you Will
become conscious at times of shadow
even though it be at 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
mutteriDg sCme words, among which
may be distinguished ga few pennies"
and "not 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 of midnight. He then goes to the
parks and sleeps, unless the park police
man, who must remain awake himself,
maliciously decides to keep him awake
also. And this is usually the case. for it is
an every night affair tor the man in gray
uniform to fit about through the parks
and roughly shake into Il semblance of
wakefulness the wretched creature he
finds, and admonishes him not to sleep.
With growl that is an oath the beggar
declars himself awake, and straight
way mods again. This is often repeated
during the night. At earliest dawn the
policeman makes final round, and with
the voice of authority announces that
sleep must positively have ending. This
time he is obeyed, though with the slow
ness of unwilling acquiescence. The beg
gar sits sullen, blinking and yawning,
until he finally becomes thoroughly
aroused, when he arises and disappears.
Usually, as he sinks away, he seems like
one who is 'drunk many times a day, if
not many days entirely drunk" He is q
sad specimen of ruined manhood, of an
utter mental and moral waste.
A Water TeIescOpe.