Richland beacon., 1888-09-08
LIFE IN WASHINGTON.
Strange Types that can lie Found
Nowhere Else.

To Washington drift the uuecr g nj
uses from al parts OF the country. The
cranks seem to tiud the climate If this
Federal capital particularly cnuecnial.
Here may bc foUni characters t. be
found nowhere els in ail this broad
land. The dc>ponient, the sancuine,
the visionary, tn" hop 'iul, the aspiring
inventor. the hopeful office seeker. the
decayel politician AMI mauv other
types are to be seen on every hand
and the wavs in winch men make II live
lihoOd are rs various and as numerous.
Soldiers of fortune. ~ they are termed.
are almost as plentiful rs those wearing
Uncle Sans livery of blue and cold.
There is n certain keen old man who
frcquents one of the uptown hotels Who
has made quite n fortune of his wits.
Back in the daNs uf tlr Nah' hc con
ceivcd the idea of c'rncr,u@ the market
on hand carts. He bought hnc and
begged all that hc cnuId. He secured
lroken-dow carts whose owners hal
long since Discarded. Tnc-r he r,no,at-
cd and iulUced To- condition oi ~tih.li-
ty that they wouli rot {. me apart. HIS
carts lie r., ntcd out To cnlorcd mon and
others who would tax" them at the mo-
deratc rent of - cents Il week. When it is
recollcc,cd what prices were PAID duriu-
those times for moderate services 1t
can b" seen that every caItman with any
kind IF II business could rent cart. and
after paving his weekly stipend, mall. -
good thing for himself. The system
became very popular.
The old man coined money hand over
fist. He was InrxoIahlr with his deb
tors, on whom LEE kept Ni%liant eye.
Cham cd he To- spy one who haI not raid
him for the previous wcch. he would
rush out into the street and seize the
cart and compel the human motive
power to diSgorgc l. fore hc would allow
him to proceed. He had kuack fer
investing his profits, AMI 'hc cuusr-
quencc is that lac now OWLS scyorl
brick houses and has halnncc in hank
He has long since allan .oAcl tn" cart
business, and can lc seen almu>. any
night with big Tray Of cut flowers,
which h. ped Hes about the sti,',ts ami
with a persuasive tongue mdEccs many
man to buy.
There is one wellknown character
about town whose fortune i ~ liS tire
less and inexlaustlblc memory. II waJ
his good luck to have participated IN
several capacities III Tn" civil war, and
he has turned his experiences into many
hard piece of silver. lie Is well known
about newspaper Offices. With talent
for application and Regular work he
would have long since have made II
mark; but he lives only IN the present
shirmish written up IN his characters.
tic breezy, graphic style means g'oi
dinner or two drinks; a slegc will bring
three hearty meals; battle will pro-
duce a night with the boys, AMI cam
paign is good for Il weeks board.
On the north side of Z street Just he
fore one comes t. the Rock Creek Bridge
is spring of building water, rooted
over with stone and brick. During the
last day or two the quick wittod boys
of the neighborhool have been making
many penny ont Of this spring They
arm themselves with tin pals anl buck
cts holding about pint, fill them with
the spring water, and wait for the street
cars "Have some water, mister"
"Havc a drink of spring water Z" They
question in turn every one on the car,
and when the ear is full. several of the
boys succeed III emptying their pals.
While the passenger drinks the cool
ing draught, the boy secures place on
the steps and rides along, or if it is too
crowded he runs alongside. TIL" cans
slow up in going over the bridge and
also in ascending the hill 50 that a fine
opportunity is given for Obtaining re-
freshing drink. There are many thirsty
ones who patronize the boys. One
urch;n mad. 30 cents the other day and
others nearly as much. A drink costs
what one is willing TO give forit. He is
expected to give two cents. Sometimes
one gives nickel and refuses the
change.