The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1896-01-02
WASHINGTON HgGeARs.
Some Familiar Typea Seen on the Streets
OGths Nntional-CHpitnI.

Some Familiar TypCR Seen on the Streets
oGths Nntionni-CHpitnI.
Washington Post: Washington ls one
OF the best fields for the operations of
beggars In the country. When Cop
gress is in session It is not an unusual
thing for some OF the more energetic
beSgars to make large sums. One night
several years ago group Of congress.
men We're standing on the corner or
Thirteenth street and the avenue, when
their attention was called to the little,
old. stopping woman who Is often seen
on the avenue at night. grinding out
her melancholy dlrges on Il little hand
organ.
The night was cold. for II was In
mid winter, and the hearts OF the we'll
to-dO congressman were touched by the
sight OF the aged little woman with her
large sunbonnct, shiVCring in the cor
ner by large show window, vRsHly en-
deRvoring TO protect herself from the
cold winds. silver dollar was tossed
into her cup by each congressman. This
Is but single instance.
This woman Is one about whom there
Is a real veil OF mystery. Who she Is
no one knows. and opportunity 70 see
her face Is never given. STOPPING low
20 the ground, her face Is constantly
hidden by the large sunbonnct, and 1t
Is impossible to see any feature BY
which she might be recognized. There
IL n story told by the police. however,
10 the effect that she IL an old resident
OF the section Of the city south OF the
avenue. and that all OF her profits 20
for firewater In the little saloons In
that part OF the city.
There Is still another fable surround
Ing her 1t Is said that she Is u we'll
TODD lady, llVIng In the northwest part
OF the city. ard that che is leading re-
spectacle life only ceasing It for
while eRch evening to play her organ
on the avenue.
HeggRrs form quite n colony In Wash
inRton and constitute distinctive
class. One cannot realize by simply
CHANGING Mt these poor wretches how
much OF tragedy and perhaps herolsm Is
hidden away bcnAth their rugs. There
Is one OF their number who, by hawking
pencils upon the street, obtains the
money with which he supports n little
fair-hnlred girl. This child he picked
up on the sidewalk late one rainy win
ter night. It seemed TO belong to no
one, and he adopted II. although he
u while ne began TO save. He was more
nsBlGuous than ever in his brFging, md
closer than the celebrated miaer.
Dancer, with hts money. This close
ness, however. he did not extend 10 the
child. As Hoon az he was able he sent
her away 10 n respectable school, where
she In now being educated. Meanwhile,
through rain and snow, and heat and
dust, he ttraSa himself along the streets
selling pencils. The pussers-by never
imagine that those keen little eyes peer
ing out beneath bushy eyebrows can
grow tender ut the thought Of his adopt
ed child, or that he cheerrrilly bears the
rheumatism and other Ills for her cake.
There Is another story told by those
who know these bcggnrs, and their his
tory, about n man who carries on hts
coat libel with his null name lie was
once college student. and young law
yer OF some prominence but he acquired
the drinking habit. and ina tow years
was NO far down In the social scale that
he was cut by all his relatives, In n NJ
OF piQue he resolved 10 bring shame
upon their name. He became Il beGGnr
OF the most dlsreputnble type, and hung
n placard upon his neck. with his full
name upon lt--n name that Is one Of the
Oldest md prou6cst in the city. Many
times have the members OF his family,
rolling by In carriages caught sight OF
the miserable wretch Of q man who ban
dies their hOnOrcd name about the
streets. People have likcncI this state
OF things TO the fcud between the two
brothers. which Robert Louis Stevenson
Describes In the Master OF Ballnntrne,"
Another well known bcggar OF more
respectable tyne Ia the old soldier,
wounded In thu late war, who goes
about with large organ. He Is nc
cofnpanicd with his wife, II tnll woman,
with n sweet placid face, clad In n gray
gown end bronA hat, which gives her
the appearance OF II Quaker. She col
lccts money from tho crowd when her
husband Ia done playing, md somehow
she always gets her cup trimming runs
II may b. because her face might hive
been model for RaphOrs Madonna.
ono OF the most pathetic OF these beg
Enr stories ia one which repeats Itself
almost every yenr-n story that In sad
enough to be true. The chief HctOr Is
usually young man from the country.
who really tries to iind work md can
not HC goes from place to pincc In
vain. He will not beg. and 10 too proud
to go into free eating house with n
crowd Of Migrants SO he wandora
about until he grows fnint with hun
ger. Then. perhaps, nt night. IN II
Ehndowy corner. desperate with hun
ger, he ventures 20 make despairlng
plea TO some hurrylng pedestrian, who
rnynGely turns upon him with an oath
md thu query, why don't YOU work."
Then tho end comes. and the scene
shifts to tho morSuo, whore the unfor-
tunatc rcnts upon tho slab, freed from
hunger forever.