The Copiah signal. (Hazlehurst, Miss.) 1882-1883, 1883-10-04
NOW n BE00AR BEchME Il MILL
IOyfTKE.

~ do not propose" said Mr.. Blank,
n he ptfffed leisurely q fragrant cigar,
"to he 80 specific that will worry you.
All you wnnt to know in the general cir.
cumstances. Of course. Well, 1 came
from Devo,lsl,ire nearly thirty years ago,
landing in New York, at about the ago
Of %, with my wife, few pounds m my
pocket, and stout heart. ] had come
to seek my fortune like many younS
MEN before me who found their native
land unkind in care Of them. Almost
upon my arrival I was taken sick, and
before had secured any employment .
fever seized me. and when, weeks after.
warl, I came back TO life, my money
was gone anil we were in debt for rent.
Ny poor wife had made few dimes hero
aud there doing cheap sewing, but the
little she could do was not enough, and
much before was able I arose from my
bei 70 seek for worn. Those were sorry
days for us, I can tell you. Up and
down tho streets I wandered, asking
,very places for work, but I was weak
and cmsciate,l, and no one cared to give
me- employment. I wis not worth 1t,
really, and no went on for two weeks,
my health scarcely improving, my case
becoming more and more desperate.
One day, utterly exh .usted and discour.
sgea. feeling miserable and sick, ready
to lie hut for my wife, I sank down upon
box tint stood against lamp.post IN
broadway. took my hat of that tho
breeze might cool my burning head, and
guess so foil asleep. Anyway, when
became conscious Of where wax, and
felt somewhat restel, / arose TO put on
my nat, when somo small coins rolled
ont upon the sidewalk. My heart
tLroblcl W though u miracle had been
performed. picked these up, and
fcund others in my hat. Altogether
I hal nearly 81. There was good
supper for nv wife and me. and
I had besides got al i,lea. i said to my.
SELF, they 10 it regularly. I was per-
iectly willing to work for little money,
and no unr would employ me; now,
since people nre willing to give mo
money without work, I will accept 1t
that way, nnl 1 did. Ev.ry day after
that / slouched down at corner on
some pubic tllorougli!aro md held my
lIat out. Az fi.st Us any money dropped
in, l transferred it to my pockets. The
ll~t day I took in $3.50, and from that
,imc nv earnings were never less, and
tomt times have run ~ high rs go III
day. I took to nil sorts Of tricks To
look miscrablc, and played upon the
public, though was soon rs we'll and
vigorous as the bestwlo came along.
Well, sir, kept this business mp six
years, and ut the end " that time hal
actually taken in u littlo over $50, 900, Of
xhicl, l had s2o, 900 in hank, little in
many banks. 1 then had two children,
pnd We lived comfortably. When l
found had so, 900 1 concluded to in
vest il. l did. 1 bought stocks, and
after quietly speculatins two years had
made s227, 900. anil concluded to give
IN nv old life and become gentleman
again. Icamo West bought land in
this vicinity. In short time that land
more than ever made mo rich man,
snd to-day I am wortl, not u penny loss
than sSOO.OOO. That. sir. oil came from
\ bcgsar's hat in tho streets OF New
York. Strange story9 think so N.Y.
self. Really, it does seem to me that
all this was dream. 1t does not seem
real"
Mr.. Blank relighted bis cignr, leaned
comfortably back in his chair. and re.
marked, "Nover despise beggar.
You can't tell how rich lie may boz
Chicago Inter Ocean.