The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-12-17
ARTISTS IN CHAPPED HANDS.
One of the Devices Used by Beggars to
Get Money From the Charitable.


very pitiable object he looked as he
stood in the entrance to the elevated rail-
road stars at Twenty-eighth street. His
form was bent, his face pale, his eyes
closed. as if in blindness. and he covered
close 70 the wall to escape the cold rain
that was driving in before the fierce wind.
A box hung about his neck containing his
wares. pencils and he held bunch of these
in hands that shook as if with palsy land
showed seams and cracks apparently
bleeding from being chapped by the cold
and wet.
buy pencil" he whined. Help poor
old man with few pennies"
A lady and a gentleman entered the sta
ton, and as the plea of the wretch reached
her ears the lady stopped and took out her
pocketbook.
Here, my poor man." she said. dropping
a dime into his outstretched hand. Never
mind the pencil. I don't want it. Just see
how his hands are chapped from the cold
poor fellow she added turning to her
companion.
Eyes, l Sec" replied the gentleman,
leaning forward and looking closely at the
hand in question, which, having transfer
red the dime TO the pencil vendors pocket,
was again outstretched. Yes, that is
what l call very good work"
Good work." repeated the lady in sur
prise. What do you mean?"
Without replying in words her compan-
ion proceeded to give an illustration. Strip
ping off his glove he held his right hand
cupped under a rivulet streaming from the
roof and got a 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 wa
ter held in his palm, rubbed the black
marks vigorously while his companion
gazed in Amusement. Before the man
could wrench himself away every mark
was gone. Not scratch or crack of the
skin was apparent. The skin was wrin-
killed. a little, but coarse and sound as
leather.
Il thought So" said the gentleman
forcing the pencil man, who had now OPP
ened his eyes and was struggling to get
away, back against the wall. Now, give
back that dime and get out unless
you want to be arrested as an imposter
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 a
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 fakir, and
that he has usurped one of the privileges
of your sex in bringing art to the aid of
nature" was the reply. But he does it
to disfigure instead of to beautify. 1 have
of l,oe wi pafDtpH
themselves for sympathy, and when you
called my attention to this chaps hands
and his hands chaps l recognized case
of it.
Just before election" he continued
"some political work took me about the
lodging houses in the lower east side, and
l saw there an instance where the artist
was more realistic than this one. Going
into a 1O-cent place near Chatham square
I saw an apparent cripple sitting in a
corner working at his hands with nail
As cleaning of finger nails is not a
favorable 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
surprise I asked another ledger for an
explanation.
= oh. that's Tenpenny Jack said the
man | appealed to. He's workn' the
spike. He does that every night.
." Does he do that for fun l inquired.
Fun me Aeye replied my informant
He does it fer dough Them's chaplin
marks he's maxim He takes them hans
out an shakes EN-. an all the loiedies
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 hans is so 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 'workin 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 whistling. l
thought as | followed him that if any
beggar ever earned his money he did"