The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1891-01-01
THE SCAPEGRACE.
One Who Lives by an Ingenious
System Of His Own.

We who earn our living by hard work
naturally regard with good deal of in
terest those who manage to dodge this
seeming necessity.
What are 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
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 a lit
tie 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 reliable,
suppose you were to wake tomorrow in
. strange place, without money or
friends, and with all work prohibited
what would you do? How would you
arrange about hreakfast, and, subse-
quently, about dinner, and supper, and
a bed, and then hume rous meals and
beds thereafter? Would you not be
frightened? Would you not be at a loss
what to do? Well, that is where you
would show your inferiority to those of
whom we speak.
It must be admitted that they could,
If they wished, earn plain, honest liv-
ing as we do; whereas could we, by the
exercise of all our wits, exist a week
after their fashion? En- efet, there you
have the whole matter.
Before ] undertook study of these
singular beings, l had always thought
of them as class by themselves, pur-
suing, for the most part, similar meth
DDS. To live without work constituted
in my mind a profession-like law or
the ministry. ! wronged them. l did
not appreciate their fecund originality!
There is no profession that is common
to them all, but each has his own,
complete in itself, unique and delicate
rs the miniature carved-work of the
Japanese.
TO tell of them is to tell of individu-
Als, not of the class.
There was one who recently came to
live at the very respectable boarding
place of the present writer. He was, as
the naturalists would say, an excellent
specimen-rather young, good looking,
we'll dressed and correctly hammered.
There are some of this class who have
= low habit Of making pretense OF
earning living. They will maintain
an Office with "Real Estate" or ''Com-
mission" or something of that kind,
on the door. To no such stupid vulgar
ity did Mr.. Richard Kerth descend. Not
even suggestion of work cast cloud
upon his title of gentleman"
l had known something of the pre-
vious career of Mr.. Kerth, and when he
took possession OF two Of the best rooms
in the house hasteped to make his
acquaintance. He treated me with easy
condescension, and soon offered to Dor
row money of me. -
Ibid not loan Mr.. Kerth any money.
1t was indeed for long time source
of quiet satisfaction to me that while a
number of others, in plain view on all
sides, were being taxed for the support
of this American peer, was exempt.
But one day, when 1 was b. ing meas
ured for an overcoat, my tailor asked
mo what knew about Mr.. Richard
Kerth, and told me that he owed fifty
dollars on suit of clothes l answered
shsarsby that thought he had better
charge 1t up to profit and less. He
Immediately proceeded to do so. The
ovsrcoat which ordered was more OK.
psnsive by Ave dollars than / had ex-
Destsa, sna possibly abeat nine etksS Of