The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1902-03-15
MART FOR BRAINY MEN.
NEW YORK A MECCA OF HOPE FOR
The UNFORTUNATE.

But Their Bright DAYS Have Complete
ly Disappeared, Temper ariiy Mt Ieasf'
and ahey're Waiting and Watching for
Other Smiles from Home and Fortune.
Human nature is franker and
honester in low-price hotel in New
York than any place else in the me-
tropolis. Even the pretences and sub
terfuges illuminate tempsramental did
ferences.
The well-conducted cheap hotel 10
the refuge of those who have fallen.
not those who rise from the gutter.
Those who make their homes In lodg-
ing houses are oftener than not men
of considerable education, who have
known better days. They are human
derelicts drifting about the Saragossa
sea of misfortune.
In one hotel in this city there are
about 1900 persons cared for every
night in the year. The rooms are
scrupulously clean, the beds comfort
able and the rates are no higher than
are charged in second-rate lodging
houses. But the guests are OF de-
| cidedly higher order. An air OF re-
ment pervades the place. In that re-
spect the hotel is in every way the
equal of the more pretenttous hostel
ries. 1t is those qualities that make 1t
the temporary home of men who havs
not altogether given up hope or expes.
tation of better days. AS rule, they
are not communicative, but once In
while one of them will become reminis-
cent after you have gained his con-
| fdence.
If you speak Of Africa. Asia. South
America or any other part Of the earth
you are almost certain to ind In the
group of listeners at least one who has
been exactly in the place mentioned,
and it's ten chances to one that II you
ask him how he came to be here yon
will get the stereotyped answer that he
made failure where he was and came
to New York to retrieve his fallen for
tunes.
In group of five men in the reading
room one night last week one Of them
commented on the Boer war and some
of his listeners applauded his criti-
cisms on the conduct of the Britich
side of the contest. One man remained
silent He carries scars made by three
Boer bullets at Spion Kop, and nat
urally concluded his views would not
strike popular chord. The hardships
,,o1
opportunity to tell of his experien. IS
while acting as timekeeper while the
| work on the Panama canal was Iii
| progress.
another man told Of horrid fortunes
endured for 16 days in an open boat.
| after the ship in which he had been a
passenger had been burned at sea.
A fourth had been in business In one
of the South American republics. The
usual revolution came according to the
standing schedule arranged for these
affairs down there. The American was
accused of sympathizing with the revc-
lutionists. his property was cones
Gated and he was cast into prison.
After q delay of several months he
was released upon demands made by
the United States government. But he
never recovered any OF his properly
He returned to this country and IL uow
one OF the vast army Of has beens"
to whom New York is the Mecca ct
hope.
The fifth man was one of the six
survivors of an exploring expedition
| whose late, IL not It's achievements,
has become historical. 1t Is still a
mooted question whether the members
of the expedition were forced to resort
to cannibalism. The narrator was
silent on that point. but his hearers
inferred that the charges that nave
been made were not altogether ground
| less.
A short distance from this group sat
another man with history, but those
around him knew nothing about it. He
lounges around the MOTEL day after
day and week after week, hardly ever
| going out of doors. He is large,
fine-looking man, always we'll groom I'd
and always reserved. ne talks with
none of the other guests, and so makes
no confidants.
1t is said by few of those who pre-
sumo to know what they are talking
about that he was, not many years ago,
one Of the best-known and most dan
gerous bank robbers In this country
the brains of a most notorious gang
whose members, excepting himself, are
dead or in prison. The story is mat his
inactivity is purchased by a syndicate
of banks who prefer to pay him sub
stantial yearly income LOT life to keep
him from collecting much larger one
himself.
1t is said he goes to a certain bank
every Monday, receives his salary
and returns to lne hotel. He is con-
tent to accept his annu.,y and rest in
peace. after most strenuous life.
Another of the guests of this hotel
which is no different from other hotels
of cheaper grade, except that it is very
large, is man whose whole makeup
bears the unmistallable stamp of edu-
cation and refinement. He seems out al
place, and he is. He has been at The
hotel several years now, but he could
count up his acquaintances on the
fingers Of one hand In appearance he
is tall, straight and exceedingly digni-
fed He Is very careful of his personal
appearance, and If his clothes we're q
fit you would say he was wei
groomed. He appears TO feel his posi-
ton keeply, keeping well to himself
and. making no friends.
| Not SO long ago he was professor
in one OF the leading colleges. and If.
text books are in use In institutions o.
tlearning throughout America. Nor,
than one familiar book Of poetry AM