The Cook County herald. [volume] (Grand Marais, Minn.) 1893-1909, 1895-07-20
no STORY TO TELL
A Beggar Is of but Little Account to
an interviewer.

"A BeEgar Is of but Little Account to
an interviewer. H.
must say that his statement Of his
own case is usually, incoherent, and
sometimes even little fabulous. The
poor fellows have very little magma
ton or invention; they might almost
as we'll be realistic novelists find
that those who strike me for a nights
lodging, when they stop me in the
street at night, come as rule from
Pittsburg, and are ironworkers of
some sort; the last one said he was a
puddler. "A skilled mechanic" he e1-
plained-"what is called skilled me-
chanic''; and, of course he was only
watching for some chance to get back
to Pittsburg, though there was no
chance of work, from what he told me,
after he got there. On the other hand,
find that most of those who ask by
day for money to get dinner are
from Philadelphia, or rural parts OF
Eastern Pennsylvania, though within
six months I have extended hospital
ity q think is the right phrase) to two
architectural draughtsmen from Bos-
ton. They were both entirely decent
looking, sober-looking young men,
who spoke like men of education, and
they each gratefully accepted quar-
ter from me. do not attempt to ac-
count for them, for they made no at
tempt to account for themselves; and
I think the effect was more artistic SO.
am rarely approached by any pro-
fessed New Yorker which is perhaps
a proof of the superior industry or
prosperity of our city; but now and
then a fellow-citizen who has fallen
asks me for money in the street, and
perhaps goes straight and spends it
for drink. Drink, however, is as nee
essary in some forms as food Itself,
and rich generous port wine is often
prescribed for inyalids. These men,
without exception, look like invalids,
and l have no doubt that they prefer
to buy rich, generous port wine If l
gave them money enough. l never do
that, though I have means of max
ing my aims seem greater, to myself
at least, by practicing little cordial
dty with the poor fellows. I do not
give grudgingly or silently, but say,
If l give at all, when they ask me,
''Why, of course" or Eyes, certainly"
and sometimes l have to invite them
to use their feeble powers Of invention
in my behalf, and tell how they wish
me to think that they have come to
xhe sad pass Of beggery. This seems
4, fatter them, and it makes me feel
w. ~ 4 better, which is really my mo-
tir a. fo doing it.
~ ia I'd then they will offer me
rono onn1o " foF begging, in a tone
that saws II VOW how it is myself"
md once there Y ~ one who began by
savino "t lno,n - a shame for a
strong man like me y" w aSsa1ns'
out They seldom ha ~ e ~, no
ices for working me, beyon> ene saA~
pie statement of their desl ut,on;
hough there was a case in WIN III
Helped a poor fellow raise a quarl>sr
,pen postal oraer, which he then !:
dept as a pledge of my good taltn;
their main reliance seems to pc le.o
pencils, which they have in all ~ -.1erior
variety. l find that 'they can take it
kindly if you do NOE want any change
back when you have given them a
coin worth more than they asked for
the pencil, and that they will even let
you off without taking the pencil, af-
ter you have bought it. In the end
you have to use some means to save
yourself from the accumulation Of
pencils, unless you are willing to burn
them for kindling wood, and find the
simplest way is not to take them after
you have paid for them, It is amusing
how quickly you can establish comfy
with these pencil people; they will not
only let you leave your pencils with
them, but they will sometimes excuse
you from buying, if you remind them
that you have Bought of them lately.
Then, if they do not remember you,
they at least smile politely and pre-.
tend to do SOW. D. Howells, in the
june Century.