The suburban citizen., 1900-01-13
SOME UNIQUE CALLINGS.
ODD PURSUITS BY WHICH MEN
GAIN A LIVING.

Of the ParIsians in Adopting Queer
ProfessiOns-Meat Hired out.
The complexity of modern civiliza-
lion is shown in nothing more strik-
ingly than in the extreme multiplicity
of pursuits by which men to-day gain
a living. In country village which
supports with difficulty single baker
or tailor, only the oldfashioned and
indispensable trades are pursued; but
in the great swarming centres OF
population like London and Paris,
not only these, but a multitude of
strange, queer, out-of-the-way callings,
which, even in towns of half million
or even a million inhabitants, would
not give employment to a single hui
man being, are followed by scores
and even hundreds OF men who derive
therefrom not only the means OF sub
sistence, but in some cases an inde-
pendence and even riches.
Persons who are familiar with the
history of popular delusions, which
Person once said iestngly that he
would write in q work of five hundred
volumes, will remember the famous
stock -iobbing mania which ragged in
Paris under the inspiration of the
Scotch protector and 6nancier, John
Law. During the mania the great
scene of operations was the Rue
Ouinquempoix The business was by
law confined to that spot, whittier
multitudes of men and women of all
ranks and conditions hocked TO buy
shares in Laws bank and Mississippi
Company, which, though absolutely
worthless, rose 20 twenty times their
original price
HUMP THAT MADE IT'S OWNER RICH,
Desks and writing materials for the
transfer of shares we're in great de-
mand, but in q street so densely
crowded they were not easily obtain
able. In this exigencya a hunchbacked
man let out his protubelRnce for the
infatuated spectators to scribble
upon, and so eager were they to use
it and so literally did they pay him
that he is said to have made in q few
days hundred and fifty thousand
livres 1t was a happy thought that
led this man TO convert an obstacle
into a stepping-stone to success; it
showed that though his person was
crooked, his mind was straight.
Hundreds OF hunchbacked men would
probably have seen the golden tide
running by them for life without
dreaming Of thus profting by it.
Since Laws day Paris has been
pre-eminent for the odd pursuits and
-callings Of many Of its citizens. OF
all the great cities of the world, it is
the one in which to-day the most ex.
traordinary and surprising modes ol
gaining a living arc employed. No
where is keener ingenuity exercised
IN turning refuse to account than in
this hinge hive Of iudustry, where
literally nothing is wasted. Out oI
the very leavings OF the regular in
dustries of the metropolis-dirty rags,
half-gnawed bones, mouldy crusts OF
bread, cigar ends, parings and peel
ings OF fruits, pieces Of squeezed
lemon thrown aside by oyster eaters,
pieces of glass, clippings of hair, etc
scores of shrewd men are continually
realizing fortunes, and thousands are
getting their daily bread.
Among the articles thus transformed
by Partisan ingenuity are faded flow.
ers that have been flung aside by the
beauties to whom they were presented.
The discarded bouquets are collected
daily from the dirt heaps of the city,
are picked over, sorted, and the ends
OF the stalks dipped into water nearly
boiling, whereby the sap is made tC
mount into the flowers, and they be
come as brilliant as if freshly picked
They are then mounted upon rusl
stems, arranged in bouquets, and sur
rounded with fresh green leaves, after
which they are sold by tidily dressed
little girls who perambulqte thu
boulevards and press them upon tn,
'Parisians.
PAINTING AS A PROFESSION FOR WOMEN
The following incident shows an
originality of invention rarely rivaleC
even by the prolific brain of the Yam
kee. One day in lawsuit before Tho
Tribunal Oorrectionnel handsome
young lady, smartly dressed, wa'
called as witness. The presiding
Judge asked her name, and then hei
profession or calling 81 faint" au
swered madame in a very low tone
The Judge thereupon directed an off
Ger Of the court to bring her chair
and allowed her to sit down. "Don'
be afraid, madame" said he; "anc
please to tell me before you are swoi II
what is your profession?" "I an
fainting, again whispered the pretty
witness in barely audible voice. The
gallant Vice. President now sent for q
glass OF water, which the lady slipped
slowly, then bowing to her inter.
rogator she appeared to await further
questions.
Again, the third time, she was
asked her profession, when, with a
look Of wonder and surprise, she re
piled but Mr.. President, have
already twice had the honor to tel
you thai my profession is to faint. y
"To faint!" exclaimed the astonished
and puzzled Judge; chow can that
possibly be profession?" The lady