The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1886-12-25
PARIS BECGARS.
The Well Organized Union of NendicaDts
TO BE Found in the French Capital.


The Well Organized Union of Mendicapts
TO he Found in the French Capital.
1t has struck every stranger visiting
Paris, the be@garS he continually meets
with in the llveliest and best quarters of
the city, who eXhib some physical in
trinity as an appeal to the compassion
of the wayfarer. Frequently he en-
counters women bearing in the + arms
a child envelop 1t IN a rag n the neigh
borhood of the exchange or of the
philosophical monologue on the con-
tiguity of the h CHEST luxury and the
deepest misery in large cities. gives
few sous and continues his promenade
But if he sojourns longer in Par. $, he
soon discovers that it is not wth the
unfortunate and INDECENT that he has to
deal, who. under the pressure of en-
treme want, stretch forth their hands,
but with professional mendcants who,
with the spoils of the compassionate.
carry on Il lucrative and constantly in
creasing business. 1t is alN avs the same
people whom one encounters i'll the
same localities. and who, in a
certain measure. have nc IL red Il
vested right to the place, which they
jealousy defend against every poSSi-
BILE rival. To each and every medicant
it is known that alter having worked
for years at a particularly remunera-
tive spot an individual confrere has
withdrawn from the business and pro-
poses to increase II 5 income from the
profits of his mend cancy by selling his
stand to Il successor. Those begGar
stands are very much in request VIII oh
are fire luent"d by people OF rank and
wealth. and the b,ggars complain that
they are compelled to raw hire for
place of this description 10 the church
adm nistration or its representatives.
Meanwhile the business ilour.SheS de-
spite all A stand on the p" nci-
pal boulevards has made of it, occupant
rich proprletress OF real estate. Not
withstanding this she continues the
the business, giving hertelf no further
trouble to conceal her opulence. for she
orders for her breakfa and dinner an
abundant and appetizing meal. which
is brought to her with a bottle of wine,
and tn 5 she consumes under tee eyes OF
SuCll VI ntl Dt pass
ut the moment. This woman has no
legs; it goes without saving that they
were shot off by the Prussians at the
siege of Par s-as a matter of fact, she
suffered the loss As u child from fall ne
out of a thrd-story window. Other
beggars whose repulsve exterior,
from aesthetic or other cons derationS.
Danish them from the boulevards
appear elsewhere with Il real field OIL
GERS staff, often of three or tour per
sons, who see to the collection of the
aims, or, more justly expressed. black
NAL. In the class of ''b 9 beggars'
may appropriately be included Il mend-
cant who in his day-ten yeIrs ago
exercised his trade on horsef ack, and
extended toward the poor pedestrian for
his tribute a bag attached to a walk ine
stick. A peculiarly impulSiye impress
sion is made upon the mind by oh ldren.
whose mendicancy is directed by agents.
who naturally appropriate the lions
share of the booty. How unquestion-
ably it may be assumed that the health
of these poor children suffers severely
under the trial, and that no child in this
vocation can long survive. 1t never
enters into the IN nd of the police
authorities, however. or at least rarely,
to interpose in arresting this revolving
practice In pitiful imbecili'y and i'm
potency the Par>ians affirm that moth
ing can be done to foil professional
beggars. because thereby the non-pro-
fessionals would suffer As if there
were any OF the latter on or near the
boulevards! If a strange begg; l. should
once venture to show himse there he
would be so pounded and pummeled by
the old settlers that is very certain he
would never put in a second appear
ance. Translated for Public Opinion.