The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1886-10-20
a SPECIES OF sraEEr-sEeelnas.
Which Is Very Prevalent on the streets

Which Is Very Prevalent on the Streets
of leading Western Ciiy.
"Catching' is a new term for THAI very
prevalent species Of street begging which
being carried on extensively on our
hreets at this time. Hardly any one who
Ias occasion to be on the large thorough
ares of the city after o'clock in the even
ng escapes the vigilant eye Of the
catcher" The term arises perhaps from
he fact that this species Of begging is out
awed, as it is made a business OF, and the
person who contributes his mite TO these
people would be surprised and hurt if he
'eally knew that his charitable intentions
we're entirely misplaced, and that the
nendicants spent the nickels and dimes in
gome convenient saloon for beer or drinks
II some other kind These "catchers" sell
iom ply their vocation until the shades Of
aight begin TO fall and they are encoun-
sered oftener in the vicinity of some pub
&c place. One can hardly pass Bessehl's
IN Broadway, without being tackled, and
where the bright rays IF the electric light
verge into shadows and darkness short
distance from the door Of some "aQ night"
satinP house, or around and near to the
entrance of the great caravansaries Of the
downtown thorOughfares, these mendl-
,ants are sure TO be found. Sometimes
they go into partnership and "whack" on
she proceeds of the evenings begging
tournament
A catcher" wishes for no greater snap
han a man who has just stepped out OF
some eating house with a tOoth-pick be-
tween his teeth and look Of satisfaction
IN his countenance and feeling of con-
5entment with himself and with the world
dlling his soul
These "catchers" learn to be good
judges of human nature, and can tell
when, if ever, and under what circum-
stances, mans charitable feeling will as
sert Itself. They invariably have some
pathetic story to relate, in which the de-
tails of the circumstances which forced
them into this humiliating position are
eloquently and feelingly portrayed-if the
chance passer-by is willing to listen to it
Sunday is harvest day for the "catchers"
and they "wOrk" the downtown streets
during the ,shole day. Often on Sunday
the catcher" appears as little girl, al
most respectfully clad and heavily armed
with heartrending story of bed-ridden
and Widowed mother and not less than
six or seven little famished brothers and
SisterG. Woe to the nice young man who
dares to promenade Fourth or Fifth
streets Sunday afternoon with his "best
girl, (" for he is tackled at every corner and
In the M Idle of the block. He could cas-
lily give away his weeks salary in dona-
tions of five cents each in promenade Of
fifteen or twenty blocks. OF course the
nice young man with his best girl
wouldn't wish to appear stingy and I'M
charitable, but on the other hand would
wish TO appear rather the opposite. These
street "catchers" know this, and the nice
young man falls their prey accordingly.
OF course great number of these va
grants are run in by the police and given
Hhours" the next morning, at the four
courts. Or course they evade the police
whenever they can, and are watchful not
to ply their vocation when an officer is in
sight-St. Louis Republican.