The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-01-30

Is thus being devastated. It is earnestly hoped
that the conclusion Of tho financial negotiations,
which will render possible the evacuation of
Thessaly, may soon be arrived at. Unless tho
refugees can be reinstated in their homes before
the end Of March this years harvest will inevi-
tably be lost.
At Athens, too. the distress is very great. for,
in addition 70 the Thessalians who have taken
refuge there, some 10000 Cretan refugees are
In the city and at Pireus. Tho bread
supplied by the Government is stated to be very
inferior both in quality and quantity. The
Queen and the Crown Princess continually
distribute relief and show the greatest sympathy
with the unfortunate victims Of the war. Lady
Egerton, who has been indefatiRable in her efforts
to relieve the Distress, has opened q school of
embroidery In which upward of eighty children
are now employed. while others are supplied with
work in their homes. She has also organized a
weaving industry. which she personally superin-
tends; forty.three looms are now at work, and
upward Of sixty persons are employed. A soup
kitchen is combined with The establishment,
which. 1t is hoped ,Imay be considerably enlarged.
as numerous orders for textile fabrics have been
received from England. Three other soup
kitchens are under the direction of Greek ladies.
AS might be expected, mendicancy has greatly
increased al Athens. and the crowds Of persons
asking for aims which throngcd the Christmas
markets furnished a distressing spectacle.
Every steamer brings a contingent Of refugees
from Crete. where tho severity of the winter
has greatly increased the sufferlngs Of the peas
ants in the interior.
One morning last week the following curious
advertisement appeared In tho Daily Chronicle:
ORossING s~wEEPER.-Pitch with good will, in
" the fashionable west End; held by pro ont owner
II years; good opening for q respectable man. AID.
dress L. COLLINS, Rowton House. vsux-
hall. s. W.
There is no doubt that the value Of such q
pitch" is considerably greater than lthe sum
that a man in tho sweeping line Of business
would BIO likely to have Mt his command. In
London the pitch" of a crossing sweeper,
newspaper seller. bootblack. pavement artist,
and 30 forth Is really the private property of
its occupicr. No intruder thinks of BUSTING the
rightful owner by turning up an hour before
him, and II the attempt were made. tho raider
would soon be repulsed. finding every mans
hand against him. If YOU want to establish your
self as crossing sweeper or what not in Lon
don. you must peg out O claim In some hitherto
unoccupied spot, and then by careful attention
to business you may soon acquire squatter's
rights.
Mr.. Collins, for surely q gentleman retiring
from active business to enjoy q well-earnod
otium cum dignitdte deserves the prefix. wants
5000 for his pitch. which Is situated at the cor
nor of Upper Brook street. Grosvenor Square.
He is quite a celebrity among the crossing
sweeping fraternity, and three years ago was
anxious to publish bis Memoirs. He claims re-
lationship with the family Of an earl. and says
that he Is himself the grandson OF an heiress.
From an interview IL appears that during his
sixty-hve years he has seen various sides OF life.
having been a footman. butler. steward on a
Cunard boat. window cleaner. messenger. and
mud pushcr." He has been to Africa and
America. Ono Sunday in New York he heard a
sermon on the text Fear them not" and il you
remind him OF this no will laughingly tell you
that since that morning he has never been afraid
OF Americans.
When he first took up the pitch. some four
toen years ago, his earnings were very small.
However, they increased. Something seemed to
tell him to Keep his heart mp. Ono morning an
old friend of his. O coachman. met him at the
crossing and exclaimed. handing him a six
pence, "What. are you come to thisf'
Collins has had an occasional holiday, but In
his own words no says: 81 am always glad to
got back to tho crossing and lean up against my
old friend, the lamp-post. with broom by my
side. Now and then / raise my hand, almost
touching my eyebrows. to the passers6y. for, as
my father used to say. 1t costs nothing to DO
civil"
A dollar a day seems to be his average income.
The hAlfpenny evening papers here are now run
ming the football competition business for Ait
q wortbi In their Saturday issusa. In The AIdlAHds