The Arkansaw traveler., 1885-06-20
A PLAGUE OF BEGGARS.
TExchange.l


 It was on the poop.of the royal mail steamer Neva that my troubles began. Thompson was there, likewise Mandy and few other young fellows of the same build-engineers all, and bound for Buenos Ayres. It was blazing July afternoon, and the awning overhead was as hot as an oven plate.
 Conversation died away in a subdued gurgling of cocktails. We were already in sight of Lisbon, which was my port oi destination. After spell of bibulous si- lence, the talk woke up and settled down on the subject of beggars.
 "Worst beggars ln the world are a, Suez," said one.
 "No, Killarney" dissented Thompson.
 ~Noasense. l say Naples" asserted another.
 "You're all wrong, gentlemen the beg earliest, naggingest, most pertinacious beggars are yonder," said Mandy.
 "Where P
 "Why, yonder-in Lisbon. Shake not your carrot locks at me for I've tried 'em -or rather they've tried me-and know. NoW, look here, boys. Test it-and when a wise man means business he bets. Peter here goes ashore to-morrow. Peter knows the Killarney beggar and he knows the Italian beggar, and if he isn't on a footing of personal intimacy with the Egyptian ditto he would recognize him by being four coats dirtier than the Italian, and lacking the odor of the 'cratur' which distinguishes his Hiber- nian brethren. Nov, lay seven to one in what you please that before a week is gone Peter shall be driven out of Lisbon by the begg9fs. The only condition is that he shall faithfully distribute among them, and openly, an amount in ,eis equaling the pound sterling. And thatll cook his goose for him. Now, what say you, gentlemen, fair or unfair? ?"
 Fair !" and it was carried by acclaim. The sides were evenly divided, and the bets freely offered and taken seven to one on my being driven out of Lisbon by its beggars within six days of landing. l own the prospect was not inviting but what could do in the face of such en- thusiastic partisanship? had voted for the Killarney beggars, and as would not withdraw in favor of the Lsbonians l was fain to stand or fall by the results. So all was arranged the pound was raised by subscription and handed over to me; l pledged my word to act the just steward, and next morning by o'clock landed in Black Horse square
 AS there are upward of 900 reis to the pound sterling, felt that had my work cut out for me. As soon as possible changed my sovereign into local silver, and with some trouble managed to break that up into copper currency. At first the twopenny pieces ~orh about forty reis) had a rather depressing effect on me, and made me feel like Culliver with Rrobdignagian farthings in his pocket They resembied Jumps of gun metal which, through the timely explosion of nine-poundes, had been picked up by government, and economically utilized in the giving and taking of change. To attempt to throw such coppers as these at a mendicant would be to lay one's self open to a charge of assault with malicious intent to do grievous bodily harm.
 To return to our mutton. As was hurrying to carriage, after having 6l- tered through the customs, a beggar- my frst-accosted me with thing that looked like hand thrust forward. Ire collected my oath, and piunging into my copper pocket, drew out quarter of a pound of gun-metal and dropped it with a shudder into that claw. Even when I was in the carriage and moving of the man had not finished gaping with aston ishment at the fortune of hard copper Gin all about four and h2H pence) he had come into. As was driving of saw him in the centre of a wild cTo~d of i've W. six other-mendicants, let us say, worse than the 6rss, exhibiting to them his handful of wealth.
 On my way to my hotel, in the higher parts of the town, was called on to scatter largesse some three or four times only, and drew . sigh of relief when was finally housed My room was to the front, and after the d<1essey loi,ered on the veranda, smoking under the awning. l am generally pleased to see again faces that have met elsewhere bst felt a thrill of horror when saw below me in the street the contortiou of features which that " FIr.t Beggar possessed in lien of . faca He was grinning. too, which made 1t worse. His hand was out stretched, as were the hands of . small assembly of living rags by which he was surrounded, and my vo~ compelling me to give, threw down . mass cf copper amang them and retired with disgust to my room. did not go out again that day, and did not venture near the win dov, trusting tho things in the street would have vanished by so-monow. All night my sleep was haunted by the living honor of that Fnst Beggar" and his ghoulish comrades, and I woke unse- he<hed. put on new coat and differ