The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1881-01-20
NEW YORK MENDICANTS.

When the wind blows cold and the air
is crisp with frost, it is not an uncom-
mon thing to meet at evening in the
streets of New York, especially below
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 for money to
pay for nights lodging is one that IS
seldom or never preferred at this season
of the year by the sophisticated or pro
fessional 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 ut 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 predatory insect band
whose name is legion. 1t is the police
man who is the autocrat of his bedcham-
Der in summer, and the canopy is the
sky. If he can only manage to escape
the notice of the man with the club and
otf-hand manner, lie is willing to insure
the rest and to discount the worst efforts
of all the mosquitoes in Manhattan ISL
and.
Where does the homeless beggar of
New York sleep in the SUMMERTIME beg
gar whom the attractions of green fields,
babbling brooks, henroosts and potato
patches cannot seduce from the city to
be country tramp? The reporter whose
duties lead him about the streets at mid
night stumbles upon him in many
places; seems him curled up in door
way, stretched out in some hospital truck
wagon that has been left in the street, or
wandering away in search Of some Sc
cluced 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 hour of midnight. 1t Is curl
Gus to note what classes OF people ENJOY
these parks, and when. OF those who
make use of the seats and shades for the
leisure hours of the day nothing need be
said, for it is patint facta 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 well dressed.
They 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 APP
pear in 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 heed the supporting
arms of their escorts, which arc 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 stink into the parks and
to court forgetfulness OF his daily
Indebtedness i'll sleep. 1t may be that
honest workingmen have been III the
parks to breathe for few hours purer
air than they can hope to find n their
hot lodgings These begin to 20 when
the beggars and tramps come, i'll order
not to be confounded with them.
Where has the beggar been since the
sun set? Walk in any of the streets adj
jacent to the park and the question will
answer itself. AS you go along You Will
be conscious at times Of a shadow-even
though it be at night; 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 mentioned "a few
pennies" and mot bite to eat. The
shadow is the beggar who, unlike the
wi;e 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
park 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, TOR
it is an every night affair for the man IN
gray uniform to fit about through the
parks and roughly shake into SEM
blance OF wakefulness the wretched crea-
ture 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
repated during the night. At earliest
dawn the policeman makes q final round
and with the voice of authority an.
nounces that sleep must positively have
ending. This time he is obeyed, though
with the slowness OF unwilling acquies-
cence. The beggar 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 day, if not many days entirely
drunk" He is sad specimen OF ru-
| 81