Los Angeles herald., 1907-05-05
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methodically and carefully, working the
public from 10 o'clock each morning until
midnight, In this way he averaged $40
week and kept a wife and two children In
comfort, If not in luxury
Before the days of the telephone or tele-
graph many beggars would carry about a
letter that purported to be signed by the
mayor or some leading citizen of near
by city, recommending the bearer as
worthy of charity. In these days 1t would
be an easy matter to verify the claim by
wire, and this method has been discarded
as dangerous. In its place the fake union
card however does good business. The
panhandler Is comparatively safe In his
calling, too. When he Is in the Ohio pottery
towns, we will say, he begs on union
card issued by an iron n-molders union IN
Pittsburg. How are the potters to know
1t is a fake card? They don't, and usually
subscribe to help a union mate along to
Chicago. where he expects to get work.
There are many panhandlers-esp especially
among the printers-who have genuine
union cards. They have learned the trade
and have gone on the bum later. There
is no question that they are genuine union
men, but they are as little deserving Oh
sympathy as the takers.
Religion is a fertile field for the pau
per-professional and otherwise. Many In
dlviduals, and even families, join various
churches In different localities and get all
the ''help" they can before leaving for
newer and greener fields. The slum mis-
sion is a great graft for certain branch
of this ilk. The bum visits one of the re-
vival meetings and gets religion. Great
tears course down his cheeks and his
whole body sobs with suppressed emotion.
The minister notices him and asks him to
come forward. After several unsuccessful
efforts a kind brother finally aids him,
and he joins the throng of those who have
found salvation. After the service he tells
his story. He has been tramp and
drinker all his life, but from now on he
will follow a narrower and better path
He is broke and hungry and really came
into the mission to get warm; but he has
taken his last drop of liquor He will
walk the streets all night and look for
work In the morning. The kind brother is
touched and offers him half dollar. he
refuses. The other insists and he ac-
cepts. The next night he is there in a
front seat and enters heartily into the
service.
"Well, my man, did you get work."
asks the minister kindly.
He shakes his head sadly. "My clothes
are too poor" he says. Nobody would
give bum looking like me work." And
again the tears.
There is a conference between the min
lister and a few of the brothers. He gets
a quarter and slip of paper with an
address on 1t and is told that If he calls
at the number he will get clothes. Assur-
ances that he will get work are also given
him.
He wants the clothes, but not the work,
and SO he goes the next day, gets them
and then disappears only to bob up Sc
renely at some other mission and work
the game again.
The pauper in the almshouse is not as
picturesque as the beggar in the street.
Nor as interesting. There are in GER
tain almshouse in an Eastern state, how
ever, two brothers-John and Mike-who
have been inmates for 80 years. They
are twins, 94 years old, and the paternal
airs that John assumes because he beat
Mike into the world by is minutes are
laughable. A visit to any almshouse will
reveal n wealth of human interest that
would stir the sluggish blood of almost