Daily Yellowstone journal., 1888-05-03
RINGERS AT THE DOOR BELL.
Settlements Incident TO Life in n New
York llat-A Lady's Experiences.

come when navies are stranded" and
each individual in the multitude seems TO
have some distinguishing popularity in
his purpose or his method of attaining it.
Broadly, however, they may justly be
classified in five grand diyisions-ped-
oilers, beggars, thieves, swindlers and So
licitors of favors. The margins of these
divisions are necessarily i'll defined, for
the reason that individual representatives
of either are so apt temporarily, under
the temptation of opportunity. to merge
themselves into the other classes. The
ostensible peddlers are, of course, by far
the most numerous. There were regis
tered at the marshal's office during the
past year 1919 new licenses issued to
this class of hawkers and 46S renewals,
the former at 81 each and the latter
twenty-five cents. But the marShalS say
that there is a great deal of neglect to
renew the licenses Of merchandise ped
oilers, either because they drift away
from the city or choose to run the risk Of
being fined $40 for peddling without a
license rather than pay twenty-five cents
for its renewal. 1t is estimated that
there are o less than 1000 of these
baskets carrying hawkers, besides whom
there are many who conceal their wares
in their pockets. A bright little lady
who recently moved into an up town fiat
on the west side was requested to keep
tab on her invaders for five days, and
at the end Of that time reported:
IF there are, as you say, only about
1000 peddlers infesting New York. then
they must be badly distributed, and / feel
that have had more than my share, for
no less than thirty-seven have rung my
bell this week. And such a variety Of
things they had. 1t would astonish you.
] had no idea Of half the things being
peddled that / know now are sold in this
way in New York. Win, they included
c~ravats, ~suspenders, She laces, cheap
jewelry, soap, rugs, matches, backing,
cheap candies. brushe, needles, tape,
thread, buttons, carriers, furniture polish,
gas burners, plaster Of paris thingmum-
mics, a suse cure for Jrns and bunions,
ST ionery, a catarrh remedy, felt slip
Pc, bamboo wristlets, a lot more things
that neglected to put down, and, would
you believe il, liquors and lottery ticketsl
Nearly al the peddlers looked as If they
were Jews, but those vending the last
two things ! name were not. The liquors
were sold by a stout, elderly, good hui
mored Irish woman, who carried quite a
lot Of little TASKS of gin, whisky. and, /
suppose, other liquors, though she said
those two were most in demand among
the ladies who bought from her. Sho
had them in a baskGS, and said she had
built up quite a good family trade, upon
which she supported her husband, who
was disabled by rheumatism, and her
two younger children. The lottery tick
ets We're sold by a lame man, who
seemed 10 be English, He assured me
that he sold a great many lucky tickets,
and / would have a good chance to draw
$500, 900 if | bought a ticket for the next
drawing. but he couldn't persuade me.
Then he said that if l would like to try a
little policy as a great many ladies did,
ca the dead quiet he would come
around whenever | wished, get my num-
bers, make my plays and fetch my
money 10 Inc. or course ! didn't. l
am not such a fool.
s'The next numerous class were the
beggars. In some way, heaven and they
only knew how-the janitor says he
doesn't-nineteen Of them, men and wo-
men, old any young, got up to my door
in those five days. / began by giving a
few pennies TO nearly every one that
came; they looked so miserable that |
couldn't help it; but one thing happened
that rather hardened my heart on the
second day. An awfully ragged young
fellow said he was starving, and really
looked as il he was. / thought the
quickest way to help him would be to
give him a good big ham sandwich, so I
told him to wait at the open door while l
stepped into the kitchen and got il for
him, and he seemed very grateful. !
was back with it in a few moments, and
he, thanking me elrusiyely, turned away
toward the stliEs. Just as he did so l
caught q bright metallic CLEAN at the
back of his neck, and it flashed on me at
once that that was the silver head OF
Jacks Sunday cane that had been in the
stand inside the private hall neHr the
door. On the impulse Of the moment I
sprang forward and clutched it. Sure
enough it was. | hauled il out from
under the tramp's coat, where he had
poked it up. and took il into the kitchen
TO wash it, while he plungcl down stairs
without either Of us saying a word.
''Another tramp, q great big fellow,
with a most villainous countenance, when
! told him / had nothing for him, said he
would come in and see, and began to
force his way in. l was frightened, for
I was all alone, bs did not let him see
that | was. / just called out as loud as
/ could, Jack, come here, quick!' and
that big tramp made such q scramble and
tumble in getting down stairs that |
could not help laughing. There was a
woman, rather decently dressed, who
wanted ten cents TO help her get home TO
her sick husband in Cohoes, and she was
so ashamed of having TO ask charity, but
her pocket had been picked Of all the lit
tle money she had. gave it to her, and
Jack said when | told him that / was a
little fool, for the game dated as far back
"a the time when there was a horse ferry
10 Brooklyn at least.
"About this entry IN my list-'man
with pup'--I was doubtful whether he
ought TO go down among the peddlers or
the beggars, 50 I've left him standing
alone. He came up with a fat,
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