Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1899-04-16
HIS FAITH IN HUMAN NATURE.

"U to a month ago I was ass enough
to believe that this was a retty good
world" said the man with the fuzzy
overcoat Whenever l read in the
papers about tenants being evicted for
nonpayment of rent, | felt sure that
half dozen people would rush around
with ten-dollar bills in their hands.
Whenever a semi-respectable man told
me he was out of a situation and hard
up | reasoned that it was his own fault
entirely. The tramp who struck me for
a dime always got it.. but ripped him
up the back for not having a job at $12
a week, however. I'm seeing things in
different light now, and I'm willing
to do a lot of craw-fishfng.
What has happened" was asked.
1--WE been knocking about the
world" was the reply. Just for cod.
and hoping to get lot OF figures out
of it to back mp my assertions.
bought an outfit of clothes of second
hand dealer and started out to look for
work. 1 was a clerk out of employ
ment. / put on a mournful face and
told sad but dignified tale-three
months out of work-wife and child
ren-rent behind--doctor's bills, and
all that l offered my services as sales
man, bookkeeper, shipping clerk and
most everything else, and one place at
ter another turned me down till my
feet got sore with walking. l did not
get one word of sympathy from any
one. One the contrary, | was almost
kicked out of the stores, warehouses
and offices. This talk about the milk
of human kindness is all water. / had
always contended that a gentleman
who had lost his purse by accident or
theft had only TO drop into the first
place of business and state his case to
secure a. small loan. l put on my best
suit and tried the little game l start
ed in on Broadway, near Fourteenth
street. I asked for the loan Of quar-.
ter to get to Staten Island, giving
name and address. l have been told
that / have an honest, innocent look.
and / know that dogs and children
have always trusted me on sight. I
entered a store, asked for the manager,
and held out my hand for a quarter,
but it didn't come. He froze me with
sell my silk hat; the next to pawn my
watch; the next to telegraph my
friends, and ater asking twenty diff
erent men / gave it up IN disgust.
They all looked like men who'd feed
hungry dog, but not one of them would
invest a quarter in human nature. 1t
was surprise to me to have my pet
theories knocked endways, and I'm still
wondering how it was.
"T7hen l went to the other extreme"
continued the man as he tried to force
smile and made a failure of it. For
four days | was a tramp on the streets.
/ believe / accosted 300 different peo-
pie, and the sum total of their charity
was twenty cents. Ten of this was
given by a district telegraph messen-
ger, working for 81 per week. In one
day / made twenty six calls at base
ment doors, and all the food | got was
slice of bread and a mutton-bone.
In Twenty-fifth street, where house
had been undergoing repairs. a woman
offered me nickle to carry out about
six carloads of old plaster, and when
/ refused the job she threatened me
with arrest. 1t was no use to talk to
well dressed pedestrian. and the in
variable reply received from cooks at
the basement door vas that they
couldn't bother. l found just five real
gave me money, one some food, and
the fifth talked to me as a man. He
had a garnet room on Eighth avenue
and was living on free lunches. After
a few days with him on the street he
asked me up TO his room. There was
no FIRE, and his light was a candle The
only thing he possessed on earth not
on his back was an cid coat. which
] could have been pawned for fifteen or
| twenty cents When be lad heard the
sad tale which had cooked up fF the