The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993, 1884-05-31
Beggars and Their Appeals.


beggary that speaks very well for the
charity of the city in which so many
mendicants can find living. / have
been told that there the beggars have
knowledge of physiognomy that enables
them to quickly single out likely VIC
tim, aud it is not uncommon for kind
ly man to find his benevolence appealed
to by three bggars at the same time.
This is very creditablo, not only because
competition always helps trade, but as
showing the reluctance Of Dublin
pauper to go TO the poor-house. Re-
luctant to work, too? Oh, l don't
know. l never was in Dublin.
'sBoth London and New York are far
behind the age, Whether a man pre-
faces his remark with Say, boss, on
this side of the Atlantic, or Hi, mister,
on the other, the rest of the sentence,
Like to speak to YOU for a second.
common to both shores, is likely to
create distrust, and not likely to awaken
charity. New York and London have
each q high percentage of paupers, but,
comparatively, not many street beg.
gars. Do you know why? Solely be.
cause the accomplishment has not been
acquired. In both cities there is all the
meanness, ali tn laziness, all the de-
sire. 1t is the skill that is lacking
London is improving. Real begging Is
sometimes seen the now. New York
seems to be almost at standstill. The
men who ask charity rs right, not as
a 'ayor, in the city, would, under favor
ing conditions, try to Cs ablish the So
called right on the country road.
''What l speak OF as resi- begging
is the begging based on alleged abso-
lutte want, and inability to obtain the
necessar' es of life. The plea is, OF
course, in nine cases out of ten, false,
but it is the only one made, and the
| petitioner, having Sc 'ected his victim,
| rests his hope of success on the pro
pect of q suppo eddy charitable man
argding hat the covering obje { before
him may Ee the tenth, and not one of
the deceptive nine. This is the only
street begging that can ever be success
full. The worthy object who inte'-
eepts you in the street, to explain, II
you will allow him, how he is by
trade II b icklayer, with pro Mise Of
speedy and lucrative employment, but
his hand is hurt, and wife sick, and
he wants a trifle gust to tide him over
tonight Sc dom gets anything, and
has to hum late hims elf and go ba k to
work at last. while the natura whining
beggar preserves his identity TO the end,
and caves something to his children.
You see, the great oh. ect is to
awaken pity; cha ity IS sure to follow.
Next to pity the sentiment most re-
spoons We to the appeal Of the mendi-
cant is disgust; for, of course, if you
are Disguised you want to get as far as
possible from the thing that disgust
! you. If you walk away from sickly
or mutilated, or mal!ormed beggar, it Is
comparatively easy for him 10 walk
after you. The simplest method sug-
gests itself at once. Induce him to
walk away from you, which is easiest
done by giving him what he asks for.
"The beggars of India understand
their business very we'll. Most of them
are lepers, and, strange as it may
sound, they are nearly all mounted.
Riding about On their crcoked-l gged
'tats, or ponies, they cover q great
deal of ground in q Gay, and collect
considerable money. They won't take
/ NO for an answer, and curses are LOST
on them. When you are at breakfast in
the morning it is not pleasant to look
toward the open door and see PONY with
its fore feet on the steps, and on Its
back wretched looking being. He
never speaks but YOU know what he
wants, and he is not likely to lose sigh
of you until he gets it. Words are
useless, and violence to such being is
of course, out of the quest on. Yor
can order your b rse and ride out, but
| In To- he ,.rsn a.
with you. Your beast is probably
better than his, and by the use of whit
and spur you might escape him, but
you would forfeit more dignity than
you could afford to lose by being seer
galloping along public roa hotly
pursued by a naked leper. Better give
him tr;ile at first, and have done with
it.
''Somc of the beggars try to arouse
pity. Helpless, deformed wretches
some of them are, while others, appar
entity robust and strong, voluntarily
torture themselves in the hope O
arousing sympathy by their sufferings
l remember seeing one of these neal
Jubbulpoor, in the central provinces
lying day after day for months, while
was there, on the points of hundreds o
nails studding fat table. was tolt
that from daylight until dark he hat
occupied that pos tion for years. HI
bore the puncturing of his naked Skin
by the nails without sign Of disturb
ance, but he could not stand the heat O
the sun, and he protected himself al
day with an umbre la. The aim
dropped by passers-by into tin disl
beside him amounted to a smaller sun
than boy in New York would expec
to get for sweeping the snow Of tn
steps of house. They were chief
made up of cowry shells, which the ma
ives of India persist in using as COINS
interchangeable when very small pur
chases have to be made. The beggar
of Constantinople, for dirt and degra
dation probably ta6e the palm from tn
world. IN. Y. World.
-Pastaur sava oounarpiuf, x,;1;zao