The weekly messenger. [volume] (St. Martinsville [i.e. St. Martinville] La.) 1886-1948, 1891-02-21
BEGGARS IN TANarER
philosophical Tramps and Mend.
cants CT Morocco

Contrast the shivering. badpered ox;s.
encc of the English begcar with A..
pleasant life of Moorish member Of .Le
craft: For the ninth part of penny
which the fractional copper coinage ~
MS country Supplies him in the shane of
bianquios, one hundred and fifty 10 the
franc, the bcggar Of Morocco can kean
iis RAJ of soul and BODY vcrv comfortah,r
together for the day.
Inc sunshine alone represents mest and
drink and clothes and coppers to tina,
Z fortunate Individual. No ineyor,hI.
I"peeler bids him move on. for there !.
no statute in his land to proclaim b,.g
Ifging a misdcmcanor. There is So much
comfort In the sunshine that he does not
ksecl impcllcd to create an artificial
warmth within him at the bar of the near
est house of call when Charity has pau,ed
to drop penny in his greasy bat.
Nor, for that matter has ne any preasv
chapeau IN hand for the reception of
penn'orths of compassion from passers-by.
and let this be recorded to his credit, that
to whatever depth of poverty he NAV b,
reduced, he never sinks to the indignity
Of cast of clothing.
Much more Saxon than Moor, II an.
ptarance at any rate, is the red. haired
blind beggar lad who is generally to b.
seen hurrying and laundering at reck
hss speed through the crowded streets.
gong nowhere in pacticular at q head.
long pace, which, if he enjoyed the
use of his eyes, he would hardly dare
attempt. 1t has been suggested, no,
without some show of probability. that
he derives his carroty locks and Saxon
face .frOm some fOrefathcr of his OF
English birth, who in the good piraticaI
days may have fallen into the hands
of Moorish sea-rOvers, turned renegade
to save his life, and completed his do.
mestication by taking unto himself
Moslem woman to wife. This boy has
picked up trihe of pigeon English and
turns it to account in supplicating aims
"Givee penny to pOvero blindoW II he
overhears you conversing in English 10
the street, he fastens himself on you,
lays hold of you b. whatever article Of
attire he can clutch, andwill on no &C.
count let 90 till you have paid ransom
for your Liberty.
Then there is your holy beggar-yOu
mendicant saint or "santo,n who being
afflicted with. paralysis or imbccility,
conceives himself therefore one OF the
chosen children of Allah, and levies his
tax upon your piety rather than your
charity. 1t is no matter to him that you
owe no allegiance to Mahomct; on the
contrary, he appears to make particu.
lar merit of fleeing ''Christian dogs"
of their blanquios. ''Santo" says he
Iby way Of introduction, tapping him
self on the breast, "una pcseta-givee
tne! Santo!" and in further corrobora-
ion produces string of beads and dan
dies them before your eyes.
There is tiny rooted street in Tsa..
gier which lies east and west, 90 that it
admits the sun into its recesses during
certain hours only when his heat is mod
crate. ~,
Here, as into harbor Of refuge, dsk
the bcggarly remnants of decayed men
iicants, and coiling themselves up with. :
in their jelabs, only leaving their feet
sticking out in some chosen blot Of sun
shine, sleep away the memory Of their
woes; and if it do not offend you 10
stand beside one of these sackfus Of
humanity, observe narrowly the pre-
truding feet, and you will see the toes
open and shut from time to time, Nike
the claws of Holsters, in the excessive
enjoyment of the warmth and he.
siesta
Suddenly, provoked at last out Of all
patience, one Of the sleepers wakes and
sits up in fury of resentment, plunges
his hand down deep into the folds Of his
ragged robe, and after brief but deter
mined resistance on the part of the flea,
drags it out in triumph and having flung
it away from him, subsidies again into his
rage and doze.