The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1883-04-12
RAGS AND RAG CATERERS.

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Our reporter, concluding that short
article on rags would be Of some inter
est TO the public, and, deciding to begin
at the beginning or as near it as possible.
visited few of the small outlying JUNK
stores. The first called on was small.
tiekety, tumble-down, wooden structure
in one of the poorest quarters of tie
city. The proprietor, who was evidently
anirishman, looked with some suspicion
on the reporter, and grutfiy inquired
what he wanted, but became quite civil
OH learning the nature of the visitor
business. '.Sure, there's so many quare
customers goin' about now it takes one
to keep their eyes open" he said, apollo
getically. T'other day tony-lookin'
covey come in to light his cigar when it
was snowin' hard, an | brought him
into the Office there, an when me back
wasturned he opened the drawer an
stole me pocketbook. It's little good
it'll do him, bedad! No, there was no
money in it; nothiu' at all but some bills
an rasates an little papers that [ keep
together, but of coorse he didn't
know that. l wish could jist set nv
eyes on him again, I'd ak neither Judge
nor Juryr'
The interior of his junk-stor which
is fair sample of almost all, presented
queer appearance. In one corner
there was pile of pieces of rusty iron,
and in another barrel half-filled with
bones. The floor was covered with
heaps OF rubbish such as old hats. dirty
paper, old shoes, ropes, pieces of canvas
and any quantity of dirty rags. The
walls were shelved around and covered
with bottles of every shape and size.
Ihere was no room to move without
Stepping on mound of rags. Some
DaIrels were arranged at the back of the
building which the reporter was told
contained "stuf that had been graded -
Inc Office was a spot in the corner
soout four feet square, roughly boarded
on and containing rickety table,
chair and stove.
ragged. bleared and exceedingly
airty little object, which nature probably
intended for man, entered while the
reporter was present, and opening an
ola sack which he carried, exhibited
ABOUT bushel of dirty-looking rags, at
me same time muttering some words in
aioreign tongue. The dealer took the
sack and tossed over the rags with his
hands, then weighed them, and counted
out nifty cents into the foreigners
alfty paw without word. When the
latter had departed the reporter said:
1oudon't seem to have much trouble
making bargains?''
mo. not wild the likes of him. He
Knows my way, and comes here every
qay, and what l otter he has to take, for
would not give more if he chartered
ioe an hour. an he knows | pay full
HES an Italian, I thinkP''
Ay, | believe so. Some O. them
unlrty, labberin' furriners, anvway.''
-; IN response to further inquiries, the
!uhkman continued:
!, 1t mostly them furriners that does
.ne dnlrty work, sich as pickin' ashbins
h manure heaps an pokin' in the
s1seners. There's thousands of them at
Foles, an Bohemians, an Germans.
! an Italians, an hardly one o. them can
spake word of English. English
Spa SpaAln ragmen go peddlin' an gatherin'
a, ,ouna the houses, but these farrinel,s
Sa van 90 that. Sich people and the
ssos soOfes. heggars, and a great many chill
t;ren ,en ot poor people, Zoo, spend ali their
s ame gatherin' rags and bones il, wards |
aae aau PACK alleys over the city. They |
seuefsily make from seventy-five /
osns osnss 70 Sl.50 day. Then these emil
Soal1 Srsl1s- are landing here everyday who
S0. 0n Know word of the language. and |
- a'e not cent scarcely in their pockets |
n; n shlrt to their backs, and the first |
Gra 'g eaey start to their pickin'. THEY'LL |
tbe the On anything to make monev-ceat
cye,. rro trusts they pick up and sleep |
~os,o S,oS9ea up in cellars an'tiniments We |
saw sOaian On put dacent pig into. They
sase Sas every cent, an then when they're
otbs. os,s z while they go to peddlin' an
so;s, s,aes snlngs. Dhirtyp Och! they're sick
ssm s1,h most Of them. Why, that one Won
eoa. som was king to some q them thai
~. s.anes 10. There's not much to he made adj,
!. pIckln now, though. The weather
msnn va',' ne priceis low. and there's too too
S'a0y Al II There's lots o people who %