The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1891-06-06
Our 0liu.
I RICH BEGGARS.
Instance of wealthy Men Who Lived as
MendicantS.

Instance of wealthy Men Who Lived as
Mendicants.
From the London Daily Telegraph.
Rather more than century has elapsed
since DR.. johnson told Boswell, on the au-
thority of Mr.. Justice Welch, that of the
inhabitants of London, which then boasted
a population of 100000 souls, about 20
died of hunger every week, being at the
rate of rather more than thousand year.
"The Sage" then proceeded to point out
how the number of beggars swarming in
the streets and public places might be re-
duced, his most practical suggestion being
that their children should be taken from
them and brought up, at the charge of the
State, to some useful profession or handi-
craft. Not many years later Robert
Southey inveighed, in a Quarterly Re
view" article, against the rapid growth of
''sturdy beggars" in the United Kingdom,
many of whom, as he proved by statistics,
led a much easier and more self-indulgent
life than the honest and laborious mechan-
les who relieved their wants. Among other
cases Southey recounted the history OF a
beggar who stood for years in Moorfelds
and received a penny daily from mer-
chant who passed that way every morning,
ON his way to the Exchange. One day the
penny was withheld, and the benevolent
merchant went on his road with uncon-
cealed modification stamped upon his face.
Next morning the same scene was re-enact-
ed, but upon the third morning the beggar
could stand it no longer. Addressing his
benefactor in very respectful and sympa-
thetic manner, Lazarus inquired whether
calamity had overtaken Dives. The latter
replied that two of his ships had foundered
at sea, and that, like Antonio, in "The
Merchant of Venice" he had bond COM
ing due which he was utterly unable to pay.
"Will the loan of five hundred pounds be
of any service to you?" asked Lazarus;
''for, if so, you shall have it tomorrow.
at would save me from perdition, re-
Joined the agonized merchant; and next
day the money was forthcoming, with an
assurance from its lender that, if needed,
another sum of like magnitude was at his
disposal The first advance was sufficient
to re-establish the merchants credit, and
he died rich man. From this story
Southey drew the inference that many beg
gars, being habitual hoarders of money, are
far wealthier than most of those who re-
lieye their necessities. He qnoted the in
stance of mendicant who called himself a
shoeblack, and after living to great age
died worth two thousand pounds, invested
in safe securities. "Beggars," exclaimed
the author of ''The Doctor" "have sup
piled the stage with some of its most fascin-
ating actresses-witness Nell Gwyne, who
sold oranges as bare-footed girl in Drury
Lane, and Fanny Barton, who was called
'Nosegay Fan,' because she was long a
vendor of posies in the Haymarket. When
saw her play Beatrice she was 60 years
old, and no other actress could touch her
in that arduous part" From these and
other similar instances the Poet Laureate
came to the conclusion that mendicants of
both sexes have "a real good time" in life,
and solve the difficulty of getting their
daily bread, and plenty of butter to put
upon it, in more satisfactory manner than
many who labor honestly from early morn
ing to dewy eve through a long series of
years.
SOME LONDON BEGGARs.
We wonder what Southey would have
thought of the "man with tattered clothes,
held together with string and pins, who
appeared last Wednesday before Mr..
DEyncourt, at Westminster Police Court,
to inquire whether the worthy Magistrate
could and would make the police give up
the applicants Postoffice Savings book
which showed deposits amounting to more
than EGO. The book was taken from him
in October last, together with some boot
laces and other peddlers stock, which the
policeman who arrested and brought him
before Sir William Hardman alleged to be
merely blinds or pretexts which enabled
him to beg in the streets. Sir William
Hardman imposed upon him the rigorous
sentence Of six months imprisonment with
hard labor. On emerging from prison the