The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1892-06-22
PREcocIous oHILp-eEeeARs.
Wee Folk who sklllfully Begulle Pennies
From the Charitable.


From the Charitable.
Wee tots, apparently but six or seven
years old, begging for pennies as
recompense for "the latest popular
song" on a wheezy accordion, is only
one phase of Chicagos child begging
community. Street musicians of tender
age and of both sexes, street falxirs
barely old enough to lisp the trite cries
of their calling, and precocious mendi-
cants far below their teens in age and
far beyond them in their knowledge of
human nature are plentiful in Chicago.
From time to time has the Humane
society made an effort to drive these
children from their demoralizing avoca-
ton, but all these efforts have proved
but partially successful. The young
sters are as numerous as ever. Few of
them have ever been inside a school
room. Many of them gather in large
sums of money for parents by no means
in great distress; while few, perhaps,
support a home where the wolf long
ago entered.
OF the three principal classes of child
beggars, two labor in the day time and
one at night Of the first, the musi-
clans are usually girls They go in
pairs, maid of eleven or twelve gen.
orally grinding out airs on the ac-
Gordon, while one of six or seven ex-
ecutes a few steps that Just hint
at a possible premiere danseuse in
the future. In the summer time these
musicians hang around the bridges, and
when street cars are blocked, waiting
for the passage of vessel, the mu-
sicians play, dance and sing for the
benefit of the passengers and then pass
the hat, The youthfulness of some of
these musicians has often elected strong
words of Indignation that such pursuits
should be permitted. in all instances
these baby players are Italians, dressed
in the costumes of their deserted coun-
try, looking like little old women.
The street fal1irs are the other "day
class" These are largely Jewish, and
they trade in everything from chewing
gum "the words of all the latest popu-
lar songs, five cents" to collar-buttons
and pocket-znives. And the amount of
business shrewdness they possess can
hardly be guessed by one who has not
patronized them.
The plain beggars of the night form
the most numerous of the child mendi-
cants, Keen as confidence men, they
hang about theaters and other places of
amusement and about the downtown
restaurants. 1t is after the theaters
are out that they are most active. A
man, all alone, is perfectly safe from
their imploring; but if he be accom-
panied by one of the fairer sex he is
sure to be approached" by cunning
fellow who, with his grimy l1nuckles
wiping away a assembling tear,
pleads for ''a few cents to get
something to eat" The artful fellow
knows the man cannot be deceived, but
he also knows he can readily stimulate
the woman's sympathies, and knows,
too that in consequence the mans sus-
picions will remain unuttered or if ut
tered overruled.
Some of these beggars work in
"gangs." certain restaurant is be-
sieged by these mendicants every night.
Two of the gang keep sharp lookout
at the corners for policemen, while two
others plead with couples leaving or
entering the restaurant These beggars
were caught short time ago by POI
liceman who had to board car two
blocks away and ride past the place so
that his approach might not be detected
by the lookout"
A few nights ago the police arrested
three Italian children, aged twelve,
eleven and seven in front of the Colum-
bia theater. Those twelve and seven
were girls while the eleven-year-old was
boy who acted as treasurer for the
gang, ell that was gathered by the 9th.
ers being turned over to him from time
to time. This organized system of beg
ging was evidently the product OF
older brains. The police can do little
or nothing with these offenders.-Chi
cago Tribune.