Idaho news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1887-1891, 1891-02-28
THE SCAPEGRACE.

We who earn our living by hard
work naturally regard with good
deal of interest those who manage
to dodge this seeming necessity.
Whatare these mysterious mortals,
We say, who toll not, neither do they
steal, who have no property, nor any
apparent source of income, yet they
wear clothes, eat meals, and sleep
under a good roof like the rest of US?
We have habit of speaking with
contempt OF these people, as though
they were beneath us in the social
scale. Are We not really in secret u
little envious OF their originality and
courage?
If one should, for example, try the
simple rule of put yourself in his
place"
You, now, who make living by some
occupation, commonplace but relia-
bic, suppose you were to wake to-
morrow in a strange place without
money orfriends, and with all work
prohibited-what would you do?
How would you arrange about
breakfast, and, subsequently,,
about dinner, and supper, and "a
bed, and then numerous meals
and beds thereafter? Would you not
be frightened? Would you not be ut
a loss what to do? Well, that is
where you would show your Inferior
ity to those of whom we speak.
Unjust be admitted that they could,
if they wished, earn u plain, honest
living as we do; whereas could we,
by the exercise OF all our wits, exist a
week after their fashion? En- effet,
there you have the whole matter.
Before undertook study OF these
singular beings, always thought O
them as a class by themselves, pur
Buing, for the most part, similar
methods. To live without work con
stituted in my mind procession
like law or the ministry. | wronged
them. / did not appreciate Their
fecund originality. There is no pro
iession that is common to them all
but each has his own, complet,
, in itself unique and delicate rs the
, miniature carved-work OF the Japa
i nese.
} To tell OF them is to tell of indiyid
) uals, not OF the class.
There was one who recently came t.
! live at tire very respectable board
ing-place of the present writer. H
a was, as the naturaIists would saw
an excellent specimen-rather young
g9Ud-looking, well-dressed, and cor
: rectly mannered There are some O
: this class who have low habit o
making u preteuce of earning liv
, ing. They will maintain nm offic
. with "Real Estate" or "Commis
: sion" or something OF that kind. OF
the door. TO no such stupid vulgar
: ity did Mr.. Richard Kerth descend
J. Not even n suggestion of work cas-
a a cloud upon his title of gentle
, man."
u had known something of the pre-
2 vious career Of Mr.. Kerth. and whel
Il he took possession OF two of the hes
r rooms in the house hastened t,
IL make his acquaintance. He treate
me with easy condescension, and 500
offered to borrow money of me.
| did not loan Mr.. Kerth an
. money. 1t was indeed, for a lon
e time, source OF quiet satisfaction
% to me that while number of other
'e in plain view on all sides, were bein
Vt taxed for the support of this Amer
Of can peer, ! was exempt. But on
8, day. when was being measured 70
re an overcoat. my tailor asked III
ar what j knew about Mr.. Richar
. Kerth. and told me that he owe
fifty dollars on n suit of clothes.
answered Shearsby that | thought h
= had better charge it up to profit an
% loss. He Immediately proceeded t
n do 50. The overcoat which Iordere
is was more expensive by five doll OF
IS than had expected, and possibl
n about nine OTHER Of Shcarsby's Gus
IS toners suffered q simiiiar amount {
r. indirect taxation.