The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1905-10-10
BEGGARs' OU1firTER.

Il
afactures Crippjss.
In small but neat and comfortable
red brick house ut Hackney lives an
elderly. eareworn man who ls known
TO his neigiibors by the mysterious title
OF "tbe beggars' tailor" The "beggars'
optfitter" would be more appropriate
scbriquet. for the elderly mans trade
hns nothing 10 do with the making of
clothes. lie equips and fits out profes-
slonal mendIcants for the practice of
thoir trade.
"A mendIcant who has not mastered
the tricks Of the trade" began the
bcggnrs tailor, has no more chance
Of making money than has q pugilist
who has not learned to boz. He must
get an OUTFIT. For a woman a small
child ID the most essential detail. But
ak beggnr women out Of eight have no
children Of their own Of the right age.
supply them.
"But that's only a small part Of my
business. I'll guarantee to make the
healthiest looking man In England re.
semble an anaemic cripple In ten min
utes. Only man who can work that
transformation has a right to call him
self beggars' tailor.
'The public likes horrors. Do you see
thoseT The beggars' tailor took from
bis breast pocket large pill box and
removed the lid. Inside were about a
score Of waters OF different sizes, shiny
with some adhesive on one side, and
red. protuberant and nasty looking on
the other.
Those" he continued, "are beggars'
sores. II doesn't sound nice. but you
don't want nlceness In this business.
My clients purchase them from me.
stick them In the exact spot on their
necks or faces and find them good
Investment. When the wafer 10 stuck
on. the skin around II must be careful.
ly treated with red and white coloring
matter.
Sturdy beggars up from the country
always pose on the verge OF starvation
II II weren't for me their fat faces
would belle them. But, as every stage
dresser knows. few artificial lines
and a judicious use of shadows will
make q face like Falstafrs emaciatcd
and lean. Beggars seldom wash. and
that's lucky for themselves. Otherwise
they'd be put to fresh expense every
day.
"Are there other tricks Of the tfadei 7
I should think so. II you ever zee a
one legged be9gar wearing long coat,
ten 20 one he's crock With little
practice a sound limbed man can bend
up his leg I'LL It's almost parallel with
his thigh bone. He comes TO me for
an artificial leg. which he fixes 20 bis
kneecap. The long coat enables him
10 carry or the fraud. A medal On his
chest, q whine about Tel-sl-Kebir or
Colenso. and the tricks done. For
money making no pose can beat the
soldier broke In our wars.'
"TIalf the blind ana one legged beg
gars can zee as well as you or !. ] can
at blind man with everything from a
dog and eye shade 10 Braille book In
raised up characters. Dogs. Of course.
cost money. as they have to be special
ly trained. As rule the swindling
blind man hasn't got dog. It's not
necessary and a great expense. where
as q real blind man. II he hasn't got
child. must have one.
MANY sham cripples and blind
men are ex-criminals. A man who's
been Jagged and done a long term of
penal and doesn't like It fights shy Of
committing second crime. But be
says he can't get work as long as he's
on ticket. AZ a rule, be makes very
successful beggar. for nothing sharp
ems mans wits like jail" London
Y ak4ar tT. Frataaa