, 1888-04-12
RINGERS AT THE DOOR BELL.
Excitements Incident to Life in a New
York Plata Lady's Experiences.

1oTk fIai-A Lazy Experiences.
They ''come as the winds come when
forests are rended, come as the waves
come when navies are stranded" and
each individual in the multitude seems to
nave some distinguishing popularity in
his purpose or his method of attaining it.
Broadly, however, they may justly be
classified in five grand divisions-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 1,512 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 n great deal of neglect to
renew the licenses of merchandise ped
dlers, 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
lIltl6 dIt IOI less lidn G,OOD Ol IlGbb
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 o say, only about
1000 peddlers infesting New York, then
they must be badly distributed, and l feel
that l have had more han m share, for
no less han ~thirty-seven nave rung my
bell this week. And such a variety of
things they hadl 1t would astonish you.
1 had no idea of half the things being
peddled that l know now are sold in this
way in New York. Why, they included
%cravats, suspenders, hoe laces, cheap
jewelry, soap, rugs, matches, backing,
cheap candies, brushes, needles, tape,
thread, buttons, carriers, furniture polish,
gas burners, plaster of paris thingmum-
mics, a sure cure for corns and bunions,
stationery, a catarrh remedy, felt slip
pers, bamboo wristlets, a lot more things
that neglected to put down, and, would
you believe it, liquors and lottery tickets2
Nearly all the peddlers looked as if they
were Jews, but those vending the last
two things name were not. The liquors
were sole by n stout, elderly, good hui
mored Irish woman, who carried quite a
lot of little TASKS of gin, whisky, and, l
suppose, other liquors, though she said
those two were most in demand among
the ladies who bought from her. She
had them in a basket, and said she had
built up quite a good family trade, upon
which she supported her husband, who
was disabled by rheumatism, and her
tp-N l,,,,,, ,l;1lr,, I'll, I,t4n-. 1,,l-
cts were sold by a lame man, who
seemed to be English. He assured me
hat he sold a great many lucky tickets,
and l would have a good chance to draw
5000, 900 if l 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 l wished, get my num-
bers, make my plays and fetch my
money TO me. OF course 1 didn't. /
am not sue a fool.
1.-THE next numerous class were the
beggars. Z 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. l began by giving q
few pennies to nearly every one that
came; they looked SO miserable that l
couldn't help 1t; but n thing happened
that rather hardened my heart on the
second day. An awfully ragged young
fellow said he was starving, and really
looked as if he was. 1 thought the
quickest way to help him would be to
give him a good big ham sandwich, so
told him to wait at the open door while l
stepped into the kitchen and got it for
him, and he seemed very grateful. l
was back with it in a few moments, and
he, thanking me effusively, turned away
toward the stairs. Just n he did so l
caught a bright metallic gieam at the
bach 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 near the
door. On the impulse of the moment 1
sprang forward and clutched it. Sure
enough it was. 1 hauled it out from
under the tramp's coat, where he had
poked it up, and took it into the kitchen
to wash it, while he plunged down stairs
without either of us saying a word.
"Another tramp, a 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
lOINS Ills way III. L "db lIlBultUGu, lUT
l was all alone, but did not let him see
that l was. 1 just called out as loud as
l could, Jack, come here, quickl' and
that big tramp made such a scramble and
tumble in getting down stairs that 1
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
tie money she had. l gave it to her, and
Jack said when l told him that l was q
little fool, for the game dated as far back
as the time when there was q horse ferry
to Brooklyn at least.
"About this entry on my list-'man
with pup was doubtful whether he
ought to go dow among the peddlers or
the beggars, 80 I've left him standing
alone. He came up with n fat,
blinking, funny looking little pup
in his hands, and asked me if I
didn't want to buy a Newfoundland
dog. l said that l didn't; that l never
cared much for Newfoundlands, and
tbOugbt 81 Rarnorla wera eynr so much