Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1899-02-16

! -Four Clever Beggars |
All had Good Stories, and Two We're
Successful.
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G oNEHOW the talk drifted aroun,
ID to the devious ways of the pan
handlers, the loafers who prey upon III,
sympathies of those persons who be
lleve that it is better to give money Il
many undeserying professional beggar.
than TO let one poor fellow go in actua
want. Each Of the four men had hac
more experiences than one with street
beggars, and among them they had met
some unusual games.
The other night, as came down of
the bridge at the New York end, said
the merchant. Il was approached by q
very good-looking young fellow, appar.
emily about rs years old. His clothing
was all apparently tailor-made, and he
looked ike man in fairly comfortable
circumstances. His hat was good and
his gloves were not much worn. He
wore a little mustache, and had been
shaved within SO hours. His overcoat
was of this winters style, and alto
gether his appearance was that of a
man entirely unused to financial dis
tress of the acute type that forces man
to beg. He stopped me by going
squarely at the point.
I'm Mcdowell he said, John Nc
Dowell, of Milwaukee. My father is
John Mcdowell. OF 65 Wall street. Mil
waukee. / get remittances at 1915
Broadway, but II hasn't come, and 1
haven't cent He laughed an embar-
raised but pleasant little laugh. This
Is absurd he said, and by that he won
me. I don't know what my father
would say IL he thought had to ask
any man for money He pulled out
card case as put my hand in my pock-
ct. If youH give me your card he
said, I'll be very glad to see you.
There's my card He offered me a
card, but said ! didn't want it, it was
al right and was glad to help linn out.
Then ! gave him a dollar. III be glad
to send II to you he said, If you'll give
me your card. Well, then, as | said
again that il was all right, 4 assure you
I'll give 1t to some poor devil who needs
IL worse than do ordinarily
"Now, that's fairly complete report
of our conversation, and / realize as /
think ii over now that the least aues-
tioning probably would have poked that
young fellows story full OF holes.
There was no explanation aft all salts
factory Of his reason for begging. For
the small sum he needed TO tide him
over until that remittance from Mil
waukee' came along, he surely had
eomething to pawn. There was no rea-
son apparently for his being absolutely
without money. It was his manner
that got me. He seemed so frank and /
honest and SO genuinely embarrassed
that be convinced me. | suppose If /
met him again I'd give up another dol
lar. II has always been my theory
that the man who begs for the first time
is very much embarrassed. know
should be, and II man began to ask me
questions ahould just 60 on. This fell
low acted just that way"
That isn't sure test" said the
,lcrgyman. "as ! know from expert
snce. There came to my house not long
lgo a clean-shaven. smooth-lookng.
vell-kcpt young Englishman who told
re a perfectly straightforward story
iHt as soon 1s | began % question him
be replied a. once that he wouldn't
ronble ne. but would try 90 get along
a some other way. lie had been but q
ew days I'd the country. be said at first,
nd he was en- route 10 a little town
rear Toronto. lie had carried hi.
money In n wallet, and he bad lost the
wallet. lie had letters TO persons IN
Toronto who might have been persons
f Importance. he said. for an knew
Ven. he won me largely as your young |
ran won yon. by his manner. though
bat was ndf the actuating eousidera-
ion. ! was about 10 send him away
18th the advice that he try the British
1nsul, when the thought OF the possi
le situation Of my own hoy came 10
Be. Ms son had been in the west for
ONE time and was coming home. had
.iegraphed some money TO him AZ
ouncil BluiTs. where be was to stop
yer 10 see his uncle. Well. there was
n epidem.c q some sort at Council
tufts, and while ! was talking TO this
suddenly thought: n
What II my boy should get caught out
here and be unable 10 get his money? +,
oppose he shonld go TO a clergyman Of /,
Is fathers church, as this boy says be
as done. and should be turned away
'ell, | didn't pursue that any further. Il
jus, gave the Englishman the money =
e needed aud sent him away. Or !.
Nurse, he made the most faithful as \
frances that al once after his arrival 4,
Toronto. where he had friends and i,
latives, he would return the money, 4
ID. or course, he hasn't sent cent and
,ver will" 4
That was a good game" said the :,
swspaper man. 'He didn't have TO Il.
ork It very often, because every time I,
succeeded he got good sum. The :
.ear, sfetF-,senf s-for-a-lO1piur beruars / F,