Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1890-09-23
Beppo, King of the Beggars.

| SOD OF .h9 famous king OF tOe OSSSAIe
has j1st died In Liverpool. The king OF The
beggars livsd in Rome sld HE name wes
Beppo. For half century he piled hia
trade rs mendicant, grd the fortune he
amassed was enormous II appears that biz
stock In trade was pair of withered legs
his ooomotion was by means of CD ingeDius
and pathetic shufiliug along ou his hands
and knees, these members being protected
| by clogs, which mede rasping noise as
Beppo scuttied along over the psvsmente,
clad 10 irowsy garments, and with hisshrunk
shsnks incssed 10 long blue stockings, thi'
uucrowned King presented grotesque ap'
pesrancs ss he lay In wait for prey on the
platform ct the top of the steps leading
from the Piazza di Spague to the Trinita de
MoBti.
As his victim approached Beppo was v ont
| to rear back from his sprawling, quadruped.
81 attitude upon his heuuches, his @ithered
legs spread out at right angles, after the
fashion OF bsby'a He had the body of an
athlete, his face waa fat and jolly, bnt about
his eyes wes an expression of malicious cum
ming. s natural actor, ne had an adroit
wit, and few indeed were those who escaped
him.
In due time he became famous the Pope
knew ard recoenized him-so did cardinals
snd princes, as well as the humber classes.
All gave 10 him, not that he needed their
money, but because 1t became TO be kind
of fashion 10 give to Beppo; not to have re.
eponded to the professional imposteG's ap-
peals would bsve been regarded as a shock
ing violation of cuatom-to give to him was
not only seeming privilege, twas dis
tipctlon.
Beppo came to his post daily, mounted
upon well. groomed donkey and attended
by o sleek page In handsome livery he was
| borne home each night with similar pomp.
His house was ir fashionable par. of the
city 1t was splendid mansion. and here
upon holidays aud on certain evenings be was
won't to entertain his friends 10 great style.
1t was his custom to seat himself upon G
large tsb,e aud TO dole ont dainty viands
eod delicious wines to bic guests.
Hiy credit was the beat all over Rome
in feet, the trades people had the profound
e5t faith 10 his business sagscity aud iateg-
rity he served many as their banker ami
flnenclal adviser. 1t is narrated lin W. W.
Story's book, as I remember,) that
upon one occasion q leading Roman
merchant was seen hurryng up the Spanish
steps. "Detain me not" he crisd TO one
who asked If he was evadiug arrest, .detaip
me not am going to see my banker, OLD
Bsppo-he has promised to lend me sixty
scudi"
Eighteen years ago saw this famous i'm
poster plying his trade on the spot where for
fifty years, In every kind Of weather, he bad
begged of Tyran aod Trojan alike. His
hair was wbitsr than the marble upon which
he sprawled, but bis face was as smiling as
ever ard bis voice had lest none of its pa.
thetio inlonaion, nor bad his eloquence
abeted 10 point of persussiveness.
He died shortly thereafter, leaving large
property. His family was numerous, and
his soma were quite as proflgate ss If they
had been born of gentler blood. They dis
spsted old Beppo's gold, and, having inher-
tied more Of their slre's arts of acquistive-
nesa, they presently became paupers. And
now one of them has died wretchedly in the
wretcbed seaport of Liverpool Chicago
Mail.