The pioneer press. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 1893-190?, 1895-06-20
NO sTORY TO TELL.
A BeEgar Is CT but Little Accor
an lnterviewer.

an interviewer. 70
must say that his statement ~ ~
own case is usually incoherent, ana
sometimes even a little fabulous m.
poor fellows have very little imapi,o
ton or inventions; they might alnos.
as well be realistic nOvelists s,a
that those who strike me for nirh,.
lodging, when they stop me in tho
street at night, come as a rule from
Pittsburg, and are ironworkers 81
some sort; the last one said he was q
puddler. "A skilled mechanic" he ex.
plained-"what is called a skilled mo-
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 mo
after he got there. On the other hand
| find that most of those who ask NV
day for money to get dinner are
from Philadelphia, or rural parts OF
Eastern Pennsylvania, though within
six months | have extended hospital.
ity Il think is the right phrase) to two
architectural draughtsmen from Bos.
ton. They were both entirely decent.
looking. soberlooking young men,
who spoke like men of education. and
they each gratefully accepted quar-
ter from me. | do not attempt 10 ac.
count for them, for they made no at
tempt to account for themselves: and
l think the effect was more artistic So
am rarely approached by any pro-
fessed New Yorker, which is perhaps
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 il
for drink. Drink, however, is as nee.
eSSary in some forms as food Itself
and rich. generous port wine is often
prescribed for invalids. These men
without exception, look like inVads
and | have no doubt that they prefer
to buy rich. generous port wine if |
gave them money enough. | never do
that, though | have a means of max
ing my aims seem greater, TO myself
at least by practiCing little cordial
ity with the poor fellows. | do not
give grudgingly or silently. but say
if | give at all, when they ask me-
why, of course" or Yes, certainly
and sometimes | 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 10
the sad pass of beggary. This seems
TO tlatter them. and it makes me feel
much better, which is really my mo-
tive for doing ii.
Now and then they will offer me
some apology for begging, in tone
that says, Il know how ii is myself
and once there was one who began by
saying, 81 know it's shame for a
strong man like me to be begging,
but" They seldom have any de.
vices for working me, beyond the sin.
pie statement of their deStitutiOn:
though there was a case in which
| helped poor fellow raise a quarter
| upon a postal order, which he then
kept as pledge of my good faith.
Their main reliance seems TO be lead
pencils, which they have in all inferior
variety. l find that they can take it
kindly If you do not 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
NDu VII Nltilbul the l'cIl'll, al
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 kindlng wood, and | find the
simplest way is not to take them after
you have paid for them, 1t 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 10 do SOW. u. HowellS, in the
June Century.