Walker Lake bulletin. (Hawthorne, Nev.) 1883-1926, 1893-06-14


ried the day before yesterday. Your
stories don't hang together very well. :"
He began to oscillate about more
vigorously than ever, but managed to
ask:
WAS here day b'fore yestiddy?"
"You certainly were"
"An' did tell you that rs lone
orfn, 'thout any fambly?"
Something like that"
"Wcll, he said, breaking the state
ment up in fragments as he shivered
about the room, al tells you the truth
then; tells you the truth now. l mar
ried wilder, sir, yistiddy, an she's
got five children. Would you have a
man deny his own fambly?"
He came no more for three days; then
he said that he was a widower, unable
to work. and had to provide for six
motherless children.
l accused him of mendacity, remind
ing him that three days ago he had a
wife, but only Ave children. The
scamp swore that in the meantime his
wife bad given birth to another child,
and then died, he having just buried
her yesterday.
This fellow has a saving habit of oc-
casional labor. He only begs when,
either through force of circums tances
or constitutional inclination, he hap
pens to he idle and "broke." He does
not like to beg, and will tell you an
apologize little falsehood, assuring you
that ne was never reduced to such a
necessity before. He looks shame-faced,
but he never whines, and it does you
good to help him. tH
Sometimes he doesn't claim any oc-
cupation in particular, but more often
he has trade, and frankly acknowl-
edges that he wasted his money when
he had work, promising himself over
and over again that he will practice
economy when prosperity smiles on him
once more.
One of these occasionals claimed he
was in the "barber business" and said
he recently came from Cleveland. He
was hardly more than boy, and was
inclined to believe his story, for his ex-
perience in asking for "hand outs" was
evidently limited. But he spoiled the
good effects of his simple tale by trying
to make me believe his parents were
wealthy, but that he was too high
spirited to let them know of his need,
preferring to make an honest shift for
himself by beggary. That old miser-
able fraud ought never deceive any
body.
The most refreshing specimen of
this class was an Irish emigrant The
odor of mountain dew "hung heavy
and chill" on his res ,iration, and he
was evidently just recovering from the
effects of "a prolonged jag" He was
jolly fellow, though, and insisted on
clearing away all the snow in the back
yard. ! assured him that such a thing
was entirely unusual and unnecessary,
but he took the broom and the snow
shovel and worked and whistled for
half an hour before he would come in
for his breakfast. You may be sure
he got the best there was in the house
to eat.
He is not looking for work, though
he sometimes pretends to be. He is
rapidly learning his business, and his
only ambition is to become pro-
fessional of skill at some near point in
the future. He can already give you
an admira BILE imitation of that disgust
ing whine which always betrays the
true beggar. The only thing that
keeps him in the ranks OF the amateurs
is that he still finds it necessary to
offer an excuse for begging. Some
times he has been robbed; sometimes
he is simply in hard luck, and hopes
you will never know how poor fellow
feels when he is hungry. | have seen
two or three of him who was zone o.
the Homestead boys" and doubtless
found sympathy and assistance whepe-
ever he could establish his identity.
The amateur hopeful is Il hopeless case.
He is bound to be n beggar and displays
some symptoms of originality which
will almost surely tend to the elevation
of the craft when he gets his Journey
mans papers,
He is the wretch who lies in wait for
you along the street, lodging out from
some hiding place and DIGGING your
footsteps for block, pouring his par
rot-like tale of woe in your ears
lfyou happen to have young lady
on your arm you are his particular
victim. His appeal is then more than
half addressed to the lady, and he
grows eloquent and graphic in the
recital of his sufferings. If the lady is
your sister or your wife she will
whisper you to give him nothing. but
If she happens to be your best cir, or
some acquaintance You do not like to
appear niggardly, SO you give the
scamp quarter. Then the lady, who
knows the fellow is
fraud. despises you for your weakness;
you despise yourself and mentally
swear at the beggar, and the remainder
of what might have been a happy walk
Is entirely spoiled.