New-York tribune., 1885-08-16
CONCERNING BEGGARS.
METHODS OF THOSE WHO PRowL BYNIGHE

There are many DeggafS VINO uan8 6DOub frInt-
inc House Square in the I" wee sma' hours o. tho
morning. when the tired reporter having played
his small part in collecting the worlds news for the
ediicaton of those who are, ought to bc,slcepns
soundly, hies him to some all night hashery to
get a few frugal mouthfuls before turning home.
ward. Perchance it is sometimes place of liquid
refreshment that he seeks, but in any event. be IL
pretty sure to be acoosted the way by some beg
gar or tramp From the number of these applicants
IL might be inferred that there Is something about
night work which makes those subjected 10 1t pecu
liarly ameDabe to charitable impulses Bcggars
after midnight are not only more numerous than in
the daylight, but bolder. They throw of much Of
that apologetic air which thoy wear in broad day.
They trust less to fiction and more to audacity.
They know that if they lie the chances are thai
they will be found out by mon who see much of the
neither side of life, and that on the other hand =
frank acknowledgment Of unworthiness may win
them some pennies. This is the style Of dialogue
that often takes place between the night worker
and the night beggar:
N B. (smelling strongly Of whiskey. perhaps
modified by cloves OF coffee beans).-"Boss, please
gP mo nickelf"
N. w. tsharply).-" What forin
N. B. with some appreciation of the value OF
fiattery)-"It amt no use tryiH TO take In the
likes o. you, boss. I'll gie it ter yer straight I
want ter git drink badly"
N. w. with cynical alnusement1;a"You II, are
cheeky yagabond. What good will that do you ]"
N. B. growing confidentiaI)-"G nothin' I'll
do me no good, cos know Pm goin' ter The devil.
N He may avg get the nickel or he may not. but had no
told some whining story about having tried hard
to get work, family at home starving, ETC.. he
might have received f0rcible hint on tender
portion of his anatomy to take himself off in a
hurry OF course it may be sand that 1t Is sinful to
bestow aims that will only be used to accelerate Q
vagabonds descent on tne aown 9raae '1a1 vt, q;
his plea that drink does sort o. make 1T easier
travelIin' which appeals strongly to easy good
about between midnight and dawn with trembling
limbs and husky voice, seeking aims to feed his
fatal appetite, often cuts comical hgnre In gas,
lit landscape and gets heartily laughed at, and
Es pee1s ssfs sash at R p
the hopeless wreck presents picture 81
gone. will destroyed the everlasting craving for
drink the only strong thing In him. there
Is wSs hPbs bss aDSs Ss savsd nn He as lost
and doomed as if he were afoat on the broad
Atlantic without o sail in sight or spar to
IiSls was the view presented by one man. who
was demonstrated with for giving money to
drunken beggar IN Printing House Square one
%sn Hlsa'' dying Of !"sarasIs sSS painful
he pain; That 1'aisx IsIsx ,Sss Who mss1Ss s11nss
money m me that he may get something that will give
HIM little temporary ease; What woaia you haye
wouldn't understand me; Pass him by in silent
contempt That would be cruelty. Take him
home and take care OF him. That - would Ds I'M ,n,
habit hadn't got such death-grip OF bim-l might
try some other plan. But so far as ! can see his
to the devil, why shouldn't l make things little
easier for him !"
He was referred elsewhere for an answer.
The man who has been deceived by beggar.
never forgives him. His pride has been hurt. His
faith in his own acutencss has been shaken. There
is an old fellow who used 70 bang about Park Row
with certain hclp-or-I-a sort OF air that
told IN his favor But best he stuck to- to hs hunting tn
sbc%d a%ass Ds pSssess He told Il.
sdaeGasd eot dime s''! IL told it to the same man sec.
climate. Yet a third time he repeated the same
tale and was made to run by threat 10 give him
in charge OF policeman standing nearby.
obtaIned his revenge after much moro skilful
fashion. He interrupted the familiar tale of hun
thy, persuaded the reluctant tramp to enter cheap
restaurant. ordered bowl OF clam chowder' pate
of hash plate of pork and beans. another OF beet
stew. plate Of bread and potatoes. and told tho
astonished tramp that If he didn't clean up. every
scrap of it. ne would have him arrested. The
tramp recognized that he was cornercd, and with
mess while his persecuter with malicious g!ee, and
frequent sarcastic comment, watched the periorm-
ance Now ANYBODY suggests yS, 70 an ,Sat
is in a great hurry 10 go elsewhere,
Many men owe their determination never to give
anything but curt refusal to begsar to soMe
such experience ths
A man of erratic benevolent procivities, when
walking BY the Post Office at o'clock one MORN
ing had his meditations disturbed by request for
assistance The applicant for charity had that air
Of having seen better days which so quickly ex;
cites sympathy, though it would be hard to tell
why one should give more readily 10 fellow who
at some time found life easy than to one who never
had anything but hard time of 1t. This peggar
was shabbily, dressed, bnt MS garments showed
favor lie spoke broken English. He was a French
man. and had those polished manners which some
superior to high born aristocrat or bloated
bondholder in countries where the surface
amenities of civilization are less observed.
lie doffed his battered hat with an air that
would have sraced cSurtier He was profnse in
his apologies for disturbing Monsieur" but 10
hungare Is 80 hard to bear, n9nsiear~ M sen Ihs was
for work IN New-York for six weeks he had
pawned oil his good clothes and two days before
had spent ms s Last penny WY M didn't ,i% ne apply
so. One told him TO go there, another here.
He couldn't afford to ride. the pavements
of New-YorlI were hard. and his feet were sore his
shabby clothes were against him. and soon tho
heart of the man appealed to was touched Here
was q suffering brother man" surely who onght
ton to thiuk that he could afford the sufferer re-
lief. He took him 10 good restaurant and
frowned down the waiter who had the impertinonce
to stare at his companion.
The Frenchman was not particular. He would
take something. lie got q tender beelsteak with
vegetables He didn't eat his food ravenously like
a hungry man, but that on showed the triumph
of good-breedlng over appetite When the meal
was finished the man with the beaver slipped two
dollar bill into the palm of his guest. He would
not hurt his sensitive feelings. by giving
him aims openly. lie shook hands with
him warmly at parting, and wished
him ali manner of good luck. The incident
kept him in a good humor all next day. Only 0nce
was his temper rutied. That was when Brown and
Smith, availng themselves of tine privilege born OF
ong years of intimacy, frankly told HIN, that no
lad been played for o sucker He admitted thar
he was somewhat cynical and scepticAl himself.