The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1890-03-11
ne LIVES ON HIS WHISPERS.

How a Soung Napoleon or Begging swim
dies the Public.
Frorn the New York Times.
Begging il being reduced to- "a fine art.
Those who are in the habit of travelling
through the busy t~horoiRhfares of this
city after dark are often surprised into in-
voluntary aims giving by sonic startling
Ealc of Distress.
IL is during the small hours OF the MORN
ing. when mankind generally is wrapt i'm
the restfIl embrace of natures soft muse.
that the real artist bcggar is encountered
hy those unfortunate ar foolish enough To
he out of their beds. Many Of these dis
play an ingenuity and u knowledge of
human nature which IL applied i'm u more
worthy channel would bring fame and
fortune. Such u one accostcd a Times re-
yprtcr last evening.
IL was on Twe~nty-sevcnth street. close
to broadway, that this bcRgar was met.
liz was ~ fine appearing fellow, young,
athletic, and exceedingly well yet mod
.stly dressed. The most striking him
about him, however. was "a very heavy.
~crubby growth of beard of "a hugh afro
riously red. There was not enough Of
this growth to le dignified with the name
of whiskcrs. hut just enough To give the
fellow n dirty and rather a ferocious as-
pect. He approached in "a modest yet
manly way, touching his hat rs he said:
Pardon mc, hut can l detain you for a
minutc: I'm u stranger i'm this city,
came IlgiNs IrNbIll fsNtteEs W. ~. In uityS
ago TO look for employment. ! was un-
fortunate enough tn lose my ~pocketbook.
containing every cent l had. This il why
I am walking the streets at this hour OF
the morning. I hate to beg, but rubbing
his hand across his unshavcn chin, I'm in
a very bad hole. At = o'clock j have an
iseti to employ me as u bookkceper. 1t
will ruin my chances for the place II ] go
looking like this. Will You lend mc Is
cents SD that j can get a
Nine men out of 10 would have given
the fellow what he asked, ar more; hut
The reporter, with an inuitive belief that
s'thiugs are seldom they SEEM" had
just a little SUSPICION. tn substantiate
which lie asked the bcg9ar IL he was
hungry. An Affirmative answer was fol-
Try chop house, where the two were soon
seated over n modest spread OF meat and
drink. The bcggar proved to bc "a really
delightful companion, ready i'm coIIversa-
ton and engaging i'm manner
Over the luncheon he soon warmed mp.
ial the reporter candidly, but i'm n half
ashamed sort of "a way, told him Of the
suspicion that his tale of woe Was "a mere
beerar. With a hearty laugh. aud with
out any Indication OF ~rcniorse. the fellow
;sdmii TED i: Eli "a few .lmes,iGns drew
IL did come from Exeter To get work,
but I could not find it,, aud now don't
want to-. In my extremity could no: af-
forSl To shave. They say necessity il the
mother of invention. I needed "a shave,
and i'm my necessity one night about "a
month ago. I appealed to ~ man on the
street To give me tins. money to get one. /
told him just what ] told you, and imnc-
tiatcly Inc gave mo ~ quarter and wished
me luck. The ease with which ] got that
quarter induced me tn try IL again. |
tackled about twenty men. over half Of
whom swallowed my yarn and gave mo
money. a~ggrcgating over 81.
MY success as "a beggar knocked all
desire for work out Of me. saw that I
had "a soft thing and I stuck to il. Its
only drawback i that I have to go UNI
shavcn four days a week. During these
four days, though. ! make enough to live
all the week, 50 ! get shaved and loaf
Aisput town the other three. oh, that ugly
rsl beard il my salvation. though il used
10 bc the banc of my life. IL earns SO or
more "a week for me without any invested
capital. except such as ! may p,It in good
clothes. must dress well tn bear out my
story. you know.
"t,oing" No don't. You have paid for
'hc supper. so now sil down and have u
bottle of ale and "A cigar with mo. have
a small surplus of shaving money this
week The invitation was accepted. and
the reporter must confess that hc never
sIent "a more congcnial hour than that
hour with the man who lived ON his
whiskers.