The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1894-12-28
ARTIsTs bal cnAPeeo aANps.

A very p1t1ablo object he looked as he
stood in the entrance to the elevated
railroad stairs at Twenty eighth street.
His form was bent, his face pale his
eyes closed as if IN blindness, ard he
covered close to the wall to escape the
cold rain that was driving IN before the
fierce wind. A box hung about his neck
containing his -penclls-and he
held a bunch of these in hands that
shook as if with palsy and showed seams
and cracks apparently bleeding from
being chapped by the cold and wet
Buy a pencil, :" he whined. Help
poor old man with a few pennies.
A lady and a gentleman entered the
station, and as the plea of the wretch
reached her ears the lady stopped and
took out her pocketbook.
Here, my man, y she said, dropping
e dime into his outstretched hand
Never mind the pencil don't want
it, Just see how his hands are chapped
from the cold. poor fellow, she added,
turning to her companion.
Yes, / see. = replied the gentleman,
leaning forward and looking closely at
the hand in question. which, having
transferred the dime to the pencil vend-
er's pocket, was again outstretched-
Yes. that is what I call very good
work -
Good work. repeated the lady IN
surprise. What do you mean?''
Without replying in words her COM
panion proceeded to give an illustration.
Stripping off his glove he held his right
hand cupped under a rivulet streaming
from the roof and got little pool of
water in it. Then he said to the man:
III buy one of your pencils if you
have good ones. Let me see one.
Selecting a pencil. the vender handed
it out, still keeping his eyes closed.
With his left hand the gentleman seized
the mans wrist, and quickly applying
the water held in his palm rubbed the
black marks vigorously while his COM
panion gazed IN amazement Before the
man could wrench himself away every
mark was gone Not a scratch or a
crack Of the skin was apparent The
skin was w1inkled a little, but coarse
and sound as leather.
II thought so, said the gentleman,
forcing the pencil man, who had now
opened his eyes and was struggling to
get away, back against the wall. Now
give back that dime and get out unless
you want to se arrested as an impostor
No words row, " as the fellow started
to demonstrate You can't afford to
be seen in a police court. You might be
recognized. -
Dropping the dime to the ground,
the fellow Strengthened his back, shook
off his palsy and put for the corner at
speed that would have done credit TO
an athlete.
What on earth does It all mean:'
the lady asked her companion.
1T means that that man is a falir,
and that he has usurped one of the priv
ileges of your sex in bringing art to the
n
does it to disfigure instead of to beau
tify. have heard of beggars who paint
ed scars on themselves for sympathy,
and when you called my attention to
this chaps hands and his hands chaps
I recognized a case of it.
Just before election" he contin-
ned, ''some political work took me
about the lodging houses III the lower
east side, and l saw there an instance
where the artist was more realistic than
this one. Going into 10 cent lodging
place near Chatham square, I saw an
apparent cripple sitting in a corner
working at his hands with a nail AS
cleaning Of finger nails is not favorite
occupation in that locality, / watched
the cripple and discovered that he was
making long scratches on the back Of
his hands with the nail In great sur
prise asked another ledger for an ex-
PLANTATION
Z" Oh. that's Tenpenny Jack, said
the man l appealed to. He's workin
the spike. He does that every night.
Sc Does he do it for fun I inquired.
g Fun me eye, replied my inform
ant. He does it fer the dough. Them 3
chaplin marks he's maxim He takes
them hans out an shakes 'em, an all
the loidies gives up their good coin.
See? It's the creates graft IN the biz,
on'y they amt many as can stan it.
But Tenpenny Jacks han 5 IS 50 tough
you can't hurt 'em, an he has tough
work gittin any blood to come. Now
he's Just finishin off the job
AS the man said. Tenpenny Jack
was nearly through 'worl1in the spike
He examined his hands critically, gave
pick here and a jab there, heightened
out a scratch a little. and then showing
the nail into his pocket Went out whis-
thing. 1 thought as I followed him that
if any beggar ever earned his money he
did - n nxy York Gs7u