Adams County news. [volume] (Ritzville, Wash.) 1898-1906, 1905-08-16
The Sympathy Graft.

Misfortune is a thing the aver
age mortal endeavors to avoid, but
it sometimes appears that to a
small portion of humanity misfor-
tune is stock in trade, means of
subsistence, business asset. A few
days ago three itinerant cripples were
candidates for public sympathy and
cold coin. All of them were big,
healthy appearing fellows, each of
whom had lost leg. They worked
the sympathy graft for all it was
worth, Up and down the streets they
charged upon their crutches, making
. house to house canvass. If in
making the rounds they failed to find
the proprietor of place, they showed
persistence OF the "try, try again"
order. When necessary they would
visit house house the second and
even third time in order that no
sucker should escape paying tribute.
Altogether these three "helpless 4"
creatures travelled miles that day and
did thriving business.
Another and fourth cripple was in
town that day. Like the three ruddy-
checked young men, he too, had lost a
leg; but, unlike them, he lacks only
few months OF being three score and
ten years of age.
"Old man Fem" is a farmer,
but though handicapped by the loss
OF his limb and his advanced years,
he was selling a load OF produce
which he had cultivated by his own
industry in his garden and truck
patch OF some five or six acres. His
daily life a reminder that "where
there is will there's way"
About a year ago young man
with an excruciating limp and an
arm in a sling, made the rounds Of
the town, and as an incentive for
sympathetic LISTENERS to contribute
he spun yarn of railway wreck
which Tailed wonderfully we'll with
his ambulance makeup. Not more
than an hour before that much
pulverized wreck survivor made his
debut upon the streets he had been
observed to glide off the truss rods OF
railway car near the depot and HE
himself to the vicinity of the water
tank where he speedily acquired the
limp, the bandaged arm and the hard
luck tale. His remarkable thirst was
acquired at an earlier date. The ride
upon the truss rods was sequel to
that thirst and the ambulance stunt
was the means toward the end OF
shaking it. .s ~
Not all mendicants are impostors,
but not all who may have had the
misfortune to lose limb are emit tied
to levy tribute therefor. In many
cases the person asks charity because
he finds that it pays to do so,-pays
better by far than Fenn's truck
patch. This fact was very well proven
by mendicant some months ago.
He was professional, and an empty
trousers leg was his stock in trade.
While here he met with young man
who not long before had been crippled
similarly, and whom he advised to
take up the same sort of graft for a
livelihood. The young fellow de-
demurred, stating that he did not be-
lieve he could make an existence in
that manner. The professional smiled
in a superior way, and to prove there
was "money in it," produced bank
book showing deposits OF more than
$4,000. Be humane, but don't be a
sucker.
The above is from the pen OF the
editor OF the Colville Statesman.
Index, and contains lesson that
could be learned with profit by many
people. Ritzville, being situated on
the main line OF transcontinental
railroad, catches many of these thiev-
ing, counterfeit cripples, and the citi-
Gems here would save money by taking