The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1883-05-25
THE GENTLEMAN BEGGAR.
AN ATTORNEYS STORY rory.

q; u tig Ii AN ATTORNEYS STORY ~
One morning, many years ago, called by APP
pointmtnt on Mr. John Balance, the fashion,
able pawnbroker, to accompany him to Liver
pool, in pursuit for Lsvanting customer-for
Balance, in addition to pawning, does q little
business in the 80 per cant line. 1t rained 10
{ torronts when tho cab stopped ct the passage
which leads past the pawning boxes to his pri-
vate door. The cabman rang twice, and at
length Balance appeared, looming through the
mist anu rain i'll the entry, illuminated by his
perpetual cigar. As Ieyed. him rather impa-
:tiently, rememb boring that trains wait for no
man, something Ike a hairy dog or bundle of
rags, rose up ct his feet and barred his pas
sage for q moment Tim Balance cried out
with an exclamation. in answer apparently to
something, could not hear, 'sWhat man
alive! slept In the passage! thsre, take that
and get some breakfast for heavens sake!"
SO saying, he jumped into the shansom," and
we BOWED away at ten miles an hour, Just
catching the express as the doors OF the station
were closing: My curiosity was full set; for
although Balance can be free with his money,
it is not exactly to beggars that his generosity
Is usually displayed; 80 when comfortably en-
Z consced in coupe, I finished with:
YOU are liberal with your monev this MORN
ing; pray, how often do you give silver to
street cadgers? because I shall know what
walk to take when flats and sharps leave off
buying law"
Balance. who would have made an excellent
parson If he had not been bred to a case hard
oning trade, and has still soft bit left in his
heart that is always fighting with his hard
~ II squeezing lemon into his Saturday
nights punch He answered slowly: ga cadger
-yoa, n beggar-a miserable wretch. he is now:
but let me tell yon, Master David, that that
miserable bundle of rags was born aud brea
gentleman; the son of o nobleman, tho hus-
a n nd has,
tables whers you and I, Master David, ara only
allowed to view the plato by favor of til but
Ter. have lent him thousands, and bsen we'll
paid. The last thing I had from him was his
court snit, aud hold now his bill for g1OO,
mat ANVIL vii pa paid, expect, when he dies"
must be dreaming this morning. However, we
ere alone; I'll light weed, in defiance of rail-
way law; you shall spin that yarn; for, true or
untrue, it will fill up the time to Liverpool"
AS for yarn" replied Balance, "the whole
you may easily find out il you like to take the
trouble. Thought the poor wretch was dead,
and own it put me out meeting him this morn.
ing, for I had curious dream last night" !,
ooh, hang your dreams! Tell us about this
gentleman beggar that bleeds you OF half
crowns-that melts the heart even of a pawn
broker"
"Well. then. that beggar is the illegitimate
son of the late marquis of Hoopborough by
Spanish lady of rank. He received a tirst-rate
education and was brought up in his fathers
mouse AT very early age he obtained an
appointment in public Office, was presented
by the marquis at court and received into the
first society, where his handsome person and
agreeable manners made him great favorite.
Soon after coming of age he married the
daughter Of Sir E. Bumper, who brought lin
settled on herself. They lived in splel d i
style, kept several carriages. house In town
and place in the country. For soma rausnu
or other. idleness, or to please his lady's pride,
he resigned his appointment His father died
and left him nothing; indeed, he seemed at
very soon Mr.. and Mrs. Motions Fitz Roy
began to disagree She was cold, correct-he
was hot and random. Hs was quito dependent
on her, and she made him feel it. Whom no
began to get into debt he came to me- At
case of jealousy on the wife's side, not without
reason, believe, aud the end Of it was Mr.
Fitz Roy was turned out of doors. Tho house
was his wife's, the furniture was his wife's and
the fortune was his wife's-he was, in fact,
her pensioner. He left with o few hundred
jewelry and went to hotel. On these and
credit he lived. Being illegitimate he had no
relations; boing fool, when he spent his
money he lost his friends The world took his
wife's part, when they found she had the for
tuuos Jill tho OuiS parties WHO lUGerlereu were
her relatives, who did their best to make he
quarrel ipcurable. To crown oil, one
night he was run over by cab.
was carried to hospital and lay
there for months. and was, during several
weeks OF the time. unconscious. message
to the wife, by the hands of one Of his de-
bauched companions, sent by humane sur
geon. obtained an intimaton that If he died,
Mr.. Croak, the undertaken to tho family, had
orders to see to the funeral aud that Mrs.
Molinos was on the point of starting for the
continent. not to return for some years. When
Fitz Roy was discharged he came to me, limp
ing on two sticks, to pawn his court suit, and
told mo his st1ry. was really sorry for the
fellow, such a handsome thoroughbred looking
man. He was going then into the West some-
where, to try to hunt out friend. sWhat to
do, Balance, he said, I don't know. I can't
dig, and unless somebody will make ms their
gamekeeper must starve or bog, as my Jeze-
bel babe me when we parted
Il lost sight Of Molines for long time, and
when hexS Game upon him it was in the
Rookery of Westminster. in a low lodging
house, where was searching with an officer
for stolen goods. He was pointed out to me as
the 'ecntleman cadger,' because he was 80 free
with his money when Sin luck He recognized
me, but turned away then. have since seen
him and relieved him more than once, although
heaven knows. Without money, without
friends, without useful education Of any kind,
he tramps the country, as you saw him, per-
haps doing little hop picking or hay making,
only happy when lie obtains the means to get
drunk. l have heard through the kitchen
whispers that you know come to me, that he ia
entitled to some property, and l expect il he
were to die his wife would pay the G1OO bill
hold; at any rate, what have told you know
to be true, and the bundle of rags relieved
just now is known in every thieves lodging as
the gentleman cadger'"
This story produced an impression on me-
am fond of speculation and like the excite
mont of legal hunt as much as some do fox
chase. A gentleman, beggar, wife rolling
in wealth. rumors Of unknown property due to
the husband; it seemed as if there was pick
ings for me amidst this carbon of pauperism.
Before returning from Liverpool. I had pur-
chased the gentleman beggar's acceptance
from Balance. then inserted in the Times
the following advertisement: "Hoiacc Mo-
limos Fi,z Roy. II this gentleman will apply
to David Discount, ESQ, solicitor, St James,
be will hear Of something to his advantage.
AnyPerson furnishing Mr.. F.'s address shall
receive FL 1s reward. He was last seen,
etc." Within twentv-four hours. I had
ample proof Of the wide circulation Of the
Times. My office was besieged by beg
CARS Of every degree, men and women lame |
and blind, 1rlsh, Scotch and English, some on
some III bowls, some in go-carts. |
They all'kncw him as the "gentl man." and I |
must do the regular fraternity of tramps the |
justice to say, that not one would answer cues
ton until he made certain that meant tho |
gentleman no harm.
One evening about three weeks after the APP
pearance of tho advertisement. my clerk an
bounced another beggar There came in an
old man Leaning gu a staff, clal in soldiers |
gray coat all patched and torn, with battered |
hat from under which mass OF tangled hair |
fell over his shoulders, md half concealed his |