Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1896-12-31
/ MUST BEG OR STARyE.


DOWNFALL Caused by "Booze."
"Say, young Teller. can you help the old
man 10 get a cup OF coffee to-day?'
The Chicago Daily News man turned
and saw grizzled old man of probably 60
years, whose threadbare garments af-
forded poor protection from the damp
wind. The man was evidently in need,
but there was something in his face that
bespoke n warmer spot in his heart for the
rum shop than for the coffee house.
Wouldn't you rather have drink?"
"No, I-h'm-ah-that is" he STAN
mered, seemingly taken off his guard for
u moment by the question, Il want bite
to eat bad enough, hut drop of whisky
would do no harm on raw night like
this. Could YOU take pityy he continued,
falling back into the regular plant of beg
CARS OF his class, could YOU take pity on
an old man who's got no friends and help
him out with few pennicsW
Come with me-" And the old fellow,
with hcsitating steps, followed the news
paper man into basement near by, where
the clientele is not exactly of the SWEETEST
class hut which is sufficiently respectable
to he IL grade ur two above an ordinary
barrel house."
II guess" said the Daily News man,
after he and the old heggar were seated
at table, that II milk punch, made
pretty strong would about fix you up. If
you are really hungry it will help satisfy
your craving and the whisky will brace
you up. What do you say2'
The old fellow looked at the reporter
with something of the expression of II man
who had asked housewife for a sand
witch and has been invited in to finish up
o porterhouse steak. and nodded his head.
lao ,.,.tt t,.a mt "a
aud the old mendicant was asked what
brought MIN to beg on the streets.
well, young man, it's not a long story
and don't know as it interests you," re-
piled he, evidently trying to evade ques-
tioning.
"Simple curiosity. that's all. | might
some day be where you are and little
advice right now might do me no harm"
The old man looked at his qucstioner
curiously for moment or two, as it the
idea OF n young man voluntarily asking
for advice from an old wreck who had
made a failure of life was highly amusing
and said:
.Well, / don't suppose il don't make
any difference il tell you what put me
in the gutter. and it'll not take long any
how. Booze, that's all. Booze is what did
il and if you are in II habit of drinking II
I'd advise you to quit right now"
what were you before whisky got the
best of you?"
The old fellow was eagerly watching the
bartender mix up his punch.
Il was a printer" replied the veteran,
with something that sounded like sigh,
"and | was II cracker-jack, if do say it.
When | was young fellow. before the
booze got the hest of my nerves, there
was none o. them comps that was entitled
to draw more money at the end o the
week than i was. providing I'd work
steady. But | was one o. those fool print
ers who thinks he isn't good fellow if
he don't spend all his time and all his
wages enriching some fellow who's keep
ing saloon. OF course, it was long
time before ] noticed that il was hurting
me t stay up all night and then try an
work all day, fer | was strong young
ster, with plenty o. good health back of
me- But what's the use of telling my
troubles--you don't want t hear them"
"Anybody's troubles are interesting
when fellows got the blues," replied the
reporter, and the old fellow gulped down
the remainder of his punch and cast an
other curious look at his new acquaint-
ance.
"Got the blues, ch?" he said. well,
there's no use in getting them. They'll
not get you any money or whisky. quit
having them long ago, and as long us
can keep from sleeping in the station
house and can get drink once in while
and bite to eat every day, don't think of
my troubles. What's goin' to be is goin
to be, an that's all there is to it."
How long since you did any work at
your trader
"Oh, it's been long time. Maybe l
worked year in the last ten. l used to
pick up job once in awhile, but the
young fellows all had the best of me and
couldn't hold on"
Were you ever well off, or anything
like that?"
mo, not exactly. / owned print shop
in Memphis once-about twelve years ago
an | did pretty well for awhile. But
couldn't attend to my business and attend
TO the booze ut the same time, and l didn't
give mp the booze"
well, how do you make your living
by beggingY
Eyes, mostly. travel about good bit
| kind of n notion | sot-and sometimes.
in the summer time, ] pick up odd jobs In
the country or in small towns. l can gen
orally get a chance to do chores or some
| thing for an old pair of pants or a coat, or
something like that. Then I've got a
brother out in California who sends me "A
| little money once in awhile-about Christ
mas time, mostly. But it doesn't do me
much good. He's printer like myself
and he can't send me much"
do you always manage to get hold of
enough money begging to keep you from
hungcr?"
Eyes, get enough to keep from starry
ing You see, study people. I've got
one little joke that generally brings some
| change. l get into Il mans Office and
size him up. If he looks like he had a lit
| tie fun in him tell him short hard-luck
story and then tell him that I've come
| to the conclusion that I'm Topographic
cal error. THAT usually brings Them
| though I've been tellin' it fer FIVE years"
| Here the old fellow glanced longingly ut
| his empty glass. The waiter was called
and another punch ordered, and after slip.
| ping quarter into the broken-down typos
hand the reporter babe him good night
and left him to think it over.
Baii- player Newell Wins.
| John A. Newell, local ball player,
was Monday awarded the sum of
S274. IL, the full amount of his claim
against the ST. Louis club. The case
| ,,,,,, t.soI IL, phil,Jalnhin hafo,o J,,,,za