Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1888-12-14
ON THE BIG BRIDGE.
THE PeDDlERS AND BEGGARS WHO
TRADE BETWEEN TWO CITIES.
The Old Woman Who Grinds the Organ
and Trusts in Providence-Apples.
Matches and Newspapers-A Kind
Hearted. indulgent Policeman.

Inc cld woman VINO Gr1nds the organ
and Trusts in Providence-Apples.
Matches and Nswspapers-A Kind
Hearted. indulgent Policeman.
Peddlers and fakirs have discovered new
grazing ground. Tired of browsing about
the approaches to the big bridge they have
now taken TO the promenade itself, and even
the cars and carriage ways at certain hours
of the day and night are infested with these
persevering people. Here and there can be
seen the vender of the far famed Egyptian
pure bone collar button, the rosy checked
apple woman, the decrepit blind man with
| his faithful dog, and the scamp with the
nearly obsolete double sign, one side describ-
| ing him as paralyzed and the other notifying
| the public that on occasions he is blind.
| The little old woman with the squeaky,
asthmatic hand organ may be stumbled over
at night as she sits crouching in the shadow
of the big towers Far off are the lights of
the two great cities, and the patient little
woman grinds away at her organ, charitably
unobserved by kind hearted policeman
| As the poor organ responds to her shriveled
touch with broken bars of Martha" pair
OF pretty working girls stop and one of them
hesitatingiy examines a shabby, worn pocket
book. As she dropped penny that gave out
a cavernous echo from the bottom of the
little tin cup, her companion asked in a
kindly voice and with a CHEEKY smile:
How is it tonight, motherS"
''Oh, much the same, deary. It's hard
life, bub, sure, but God is good, and as long
as get the bit and the sup and place to lie
in, why should l complaint l tave taken
five cents 50 far, and the people are good
people, so they are"
'sSooner than grind that wheezy old thing
for such pittance I'd jump into the river"
said the other little damsel, with flashing
eyes.
''Ah. my DEAR said the poor woman, as
frolu her Gpraised eyes beamed the faith that
she felt, that would be very wrong. You
must never forget that the good God has a
care for every one of his creatures here be
low. can look up in the clear sky and from
beyond tine stars can see him watching me.
He is good, kind God, my child, and he has
treated me better than my deserts | have
only few short years to linger till I'm with
, him
The old woman had forgotten her organ
and beautiful smile illumined the
wrinkled features. The girls passed on, but
the sublime faith that shone from the aget
eyes and the resignation of her tones left then
impress for she, too, was in her way al
humble missionary.
RAISING HIS HAT To TIE FUNERAL.
J Tho night wore on and the morrow came
with its changes, The great thoroughfare i
L alive with humanity going and coming. TIT
trains whisi, by, crowded TO their utmos
capacity. Tie carriage ways are crowded
with trucks and vehicles of every description
Here comes a funeral, and a gray hairet
policeman reverently removes his helmet a
the dead goes by. 1t Is an unwonted salute
but this particular policeman is said to hav
always shown that humble respect whensve
a funeral crosses the bridge.
Now is the time when the merry little ar
pie woman gets in her fine work She doe
not occupy one of the benches for the exhl
bition of her wares, for the simple reaso
a. that the bridge officers are too numerou:
!, Perhaps she was not compelled to part wit
X the customary penny to gain access TO th
se bridge pathway She had loitered about th
q entrance until the officer bad accommodai
e ingly turned his back, when she slyly Wake
p in through Exit here" and is soon joggin
y along WITH the crowd Perhaps the polio.
man did see her, but he wouldn't call be
back. "Shure the pinny won't make any
body any the richer,n said he to himself
X "Give the woman a show
And what a harvest the apple woma
reapsi The officers can't arrest her for cal
rying her uncovered basket on her arr
while on the bridge, and if some pedestria
helps himself to a nice rosy apple and droI
penny or two into her palm, why it's n
fault of hers And, when she walks across I
one entrance, isn't she at liberty to retrac
her steps and walk back to the other er
trancef OF course she is, and she keeps tn
up until her stock is disposed of.
Then, too, there is the old nevvspapt
dealer He formerly caught his trade at tt
Brooklyn entrance, until he ingratiatei hin
" self into the good graces of some Of the col
ductors on tae cars, and although he has
produce the Necessary bridge car ticket,
enjoys a monopoly in the sale of papers {
the trains, and rides back and forth ever
evening and morning, as often as be choose
The old man has only one arm, and carri
his papers in a school bag strapped to b
side. He has suffered some injury to b
neck which compels him to carry his he's
drawn to one side and bent over on his ches
He has an aged wife to support, and he sa,
he would rather be selling papers than doll
any other kind of work.
THE WRESTLING NEGRO
At about 10 O'Clock on any pleasant day
whistling negro dressed in gaudy uniforr
, with large knapsack strapped to his bac
4, can be seen and heard on the bridge pror
enade He is an advertising novelty al
carries big supply of handbills and illuI
mated cards, which be distributes to t
crowds which gather around him He is
clever dancer and amuses his bridge aut
= ences with q characteristic ''sole" stirril
breakdown. accompanying himself on
i | mouth harnonica
When crowd large enough to suit hi
has gathered, he at once pulls out handf
of his advertisements from the knapsack al
distributes them among the crowd tt
si fellow manages to cease his little side She
just before the arrival of bridge polit
man.
~ The Italian match boy, with stock
- matches that are guaranteed not ITO biz
hi. out" is also to be seen on the bridge prom
made. He can always count on selling
number of boxes of matches during the d
and evening. While walking across
bridge smoker always is taken with a I
sire to light cigar or cigarette, and If 4
provided with matches he must either borrt
light from some one else or patronise
match boy, which latter be generally does
New York Star