The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1882-03-21
TO ESCAPE FROM WORK.
Some Of the Devices Assumed bv
Professional BeGgars.


There! Forget me not /; forget me
not, my dear" said a woman to Mr..
Blake, superintendent of outdoor poor,
at the office Of commissioners of char
tiles, handing him a bunch of flowers
neatly done up in tin foil. She had a
flaming face, and was slatternly in
appearance. On her head she wore
. faded velvet bonnet, tied under her
chin with red ribbons. The superin-
tendent took the flowers and put them
in a glass of water on the desk.
"Will it come tomorrow - asked
the woman.
I'VE shall see" replied the super
intendent.
"Oh, say it shall come tomorrow,
God bless you! But, for the world,
don't send that man around with the
high hat"
"Iour name is -"
BETSY Brown" with low courte-
~, Twill it come tomorrow God
love We, Mr.. Blake, and don't We for
get me. Please don't let that man
with the high hat come. Forget me
not"
THAT woman" said Mr.. Blake,
after Mrs. Brown had tip-toed her
way into the street, brings me bunch
of flowers nearly every day. / don't
know where she gets them. 1t was
coal she was talking about; but she
really doesn't want any. She has not
even a room of her OWL. and she
knows that | know it.
Have you many such callers?
"A good MANY shams. There is
woman who comes often and asks for
help in the most pitiful way. She
walks on crutches, but sometimes she
forge,s herself and walks half way
across the floor without them. She is
large and strong, has healthy, ruddy
omplexion, and can walk as well as |
can"
"Have YOU much to do with pro-
tessional beggars."
"Now and then | get case. Not
long ago q man came here and ap-
piled for assistance. He was pretty
we'll dressed, and had an easy way and
an oilys tongue. | didn't like
his looks, and / didn't believe his
story. The next day went to visit
him in Avenue A The landlady
smiled when l asked for the family.
| found neat card on the door, with
the mans name written on it in
good round hand, and when the door
was opened found myself in a nicely
furnished apartment. One or two
adjoining rooms were stuffed with
stoves, brOoms, carpets, and all kinds
of dry goods, almost enough to start
general store. That man was beg
ging-letter writer"
"Are most street beggars impos-
tors"
There isn't one of them that de-
serves a penny. There was time
when l carried loose change in nv
pocket to give to them, but l have
learned better. Now and then you'll
find man who is well dressed. That's
his game. He wants people to think
that he is a gentleman by birth and
education. and is reduced to asking
for money by only the force of cir
cumstances. | met one OF this sort
six times in one year i'm different parts
of the city. He told the same story
each time. He was just the sort of
man many women would call nice
and give something to-"
"Do YOU know the woman who
holds out her hand in Astor place ,"
"Yes, she has been there for years.
and is out in all kinds OF weather.
When she is alone she looks cheerful
enough but when man or woman
approaches she assumes most dis
tressed look. | have seen women
walk back half q block to give her
money. She is suffering from paraly-
sis, and she should 60 to an institu
ton. These old women who have had
organs OH the street corners at night
that can't be heard are all frauds.
They are so we'll padded that they can
sit in the rain all night without getting
wet; and instead of sitting OIL the
sidewalk as they appear to, they have
stools under them. In almost every
case they beg for some we'll dressed
foreigner. who turks in a shadow on a
neighboring street corner.
The conversation was interrupted
by another visitor. She was short
and stout, and had a round face of
the German type. The superinten-
dent spoke to her pleasantly, and gave
her a little pile of silver dollars, which
she took with thanks.
THAT money" the superintendent
If L.