Wichita eagle., 1889-01-06
ON THE BIG BRIDGE.
THE PEODLERS AND BEGGARs WHO
TRADE BETWEEN TWO CITIES.
The Old Woman Who Grinds tho Oryas
and Trusts in Proyidence-APpleA
Matches and Newspapers-A Kini
Hearted, InduIsent Policeman.

Matches and Newspapers-A Elm
Hearted, InduIsent Policeman.
Peddlers and fakirs have discovered ne,
grazing ground. Tired of browsing abou
the approaches to the big bridge they hav
now taken to the promenade itself, and eve
the cars and carriage ways at certain hour
of the day and night are infested with thes
persevering people. Here and there can b
seen the vender of the far famed Egyptial
pure bone collar button, the rosy cheeke
apple woman, the decrepit blind man wit
his faithful dog, and the scamp with tn
nearly obsolete double sign, one side describ
ing him as paralyzed and the other notifyin;
the public that on occasions he is blind
The little old woman with the squeaky
asthmatic hand organ may be stumbled owe
at night as she sits crouehing IN the SHADOW
of the big towers. Far off are the lights o
the two great cities, and the patient ittl
woman grinds away at her organ, charitabl,
unobserved by kind hearted policeman.
As the poor organ responds to her shriveles
touch with broken bars of Martha" pai
OF pretty working girls stop and one of then
hesitatingly examines shabby, worn pocket
book. As she dropped penny that gave on
q
little tin cup, her companion asked in ,
kindly voice and with CHEEKY smile:
SHOW is it tonight, motherr
"Oh, much the same, deary. It's a hare
life, bub, sure, but God is good, and as lonE
as get the bit and the sup and place to lii
in, why should complaint / lave taker
five cents so far, and the people are gooc
people, so they are"
''Sooner than grind that wheezy old thing
for such pittance I'd jump into the river,
said the other little damsei, with flashing
eyes.
''Ah, my dear" said tie poor woman, as
from her appraised eyes beamed the faith that
she felt, shat would be very wrong. You
must never forget that the good God has q
care for every one of his creatures here be-
low. can look up in the clear sky and from
beyond the 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 illuulined the
wrinkled features The girls passed on, but
the sublime faith that shone from the aged
eyes and the resignation Of her tones left their
impress, for she, too, was in her way an
humble missionary.
RAISING HIS HAT TO THE FUNERAL.
The night wore on and the morrow came,
with its changes. The great thoroughfare is
alive with humanity going and coming. The
trains whiSk by, crowded to their utmost
capacity. The carriage ways are crowded
with trucks and vehicles of every description.
Here comes funeral and gray haired
policeman reverently removes his helmet as
the dead goes by. It is an unwonted salute.
but this particular policeman is said to have
always shown that humble respect whenever
a funeral crosses the bridge.
Now is the time when the merry little APP
pie woman gets in her fine work. She does
not occupy one of the benches for the exhi-
bition of her wares, for the simple reason
that the bridge officers are too numerous.
Perhaps she was not compelled to part with
the customary penny to gain access TO the
bridge pathway. She had loitered about the
entrance until the officer had accommodate
ingly turned sis back, when she slyly walked
i'll through Exit here" and is soon jogging
along with the crowd. Perhaps the police
man did see her, but he wouldn't call her
back. ''Shure the pinny won't make any
body any the richer" said he to himself.
GIVE the woman show"
And what a harvest the apple woman
reapsl The officers can't arrest her for car
rying he' uncovered basket on her arm
while on the bridge, and if some pedestrian
helps himself to nice rosy apple and drop,
a penny or two into her palm, why it's no
fault of hers. And, when she walks across to
one entrance, isn't she at liberty to retrace
her steps and walk back to the other en-
trance? Ofcourse she is, and she keeps this
up until her stock is disposed Of
Then, too, there is the old newspaper
dealer. He formerly caught his trade at tho
Brooklyn entrance, until he ingratiated him
self into the good graces of some of the con-
iuctors on the cars, and although he has to
produce the necessary bridge car ticket, he
enjoys monopoly in the sale of papers on
The trains, and rides back and forth every
evening and morning. as often as he chooses.
The old man has only one arm, and carries
his papers in school bag strapped to his
'ide. He has suffered some injury to his
neck, which compels him TO carry his head
1rawn to one side and bent over on his chest
&c has an aged wife TO support and he says
Ne would rather be selling papers than doing
my other kind OF WORK
THE WRESTLING NEGRO
At abafrt 10 O'Clock ON any plaasant iay n