The Vinita daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1902-1913, 1909-01-09

He toileth not, neither does lie spin,
but he has mastered the art Of living
on nothing year and living moder
ately well on that intangible income.
In New York, Chicago, Boston, ST.
= Louis and other commercial centers,
there are hordes of the well-fed, we'll
groomed, who live sumptuously year
in and year out without any visible
means Of support; but the Washing
ton gang who manage to eke out ex-
istence on zero income are in general
a. shabby lot Whence they come, and
whittier they so, are equally impene-
trable mysteries How they live, as
well as where they live, are bother
some matters to study out When Au-
gustus Thomas, the dramatist spent
several months in Washington a num-
Der Of years ago for the purpose Of
picking up characters and absorbing
atmosphere for a Washington play
he was deeply interested in the CAPT
taPs unique collection Of hotel hang
ers-on The dramatist thought the
hangers-around existence must be a
gloomy one and yet they appeared to
him as cheerful chaps
How these fellows said he, con
triye to perennially provide them
selves with shelter food, raiment,
moderately clean linen, even an occa-
sional smoke, is a subject that fasci-
mates me, because it looks too craggy
for Qualification. Of course, in the
matter Of whisky, that is an easy one.
Any man wearing a clean collar -even
if his shoes he shined with stove pol
ish-can get whisky He can got
booze when he can't get a mouthful to
eat. OF all the free commodities in
the world, whisky is the freest But
how. when ana where they eat-how
some Of them even manage to keep
their trousers creased-how they man
age TO square themselves for being
just hangers around want to. know,
as they put it in Boston town.
There can be no question that ihese
hangers-around and chairwarmers are I
the henefciaries Of special provi-
dence who looks after disappointed
office seekers and job-losers in Wash
ington They are a pathetic lot, and
wear that expectant look which causes 4
acquaintances to extend an invitation
to wet whistle" an invitation which
is rarely refused for it is written
pledge of the Washington hanger-on
never to refuse a drink. In ma
jority Of cases their acquaintances are !
sought with financial, not alcoholic
in view An acquaintance
who cannot produce the fluid in ex-
change for few stories is soon given
the goby. Time to them is not
worth much, but yet it is too valuable
to waste with men who cannot buy the
drink
Most of these unfortunates are men |
who have lost government jobs either
ON account of incompetency or reck-
less habits--for exchange Of admins
tration now amounts to but little so
far as job-losing is concerned, though |
these men always charge their dis
missal from service to this. 1t does |
not take long for many of them to de-
generate into the type slangily known
as booze -grafters After getting a
taste OF Washington life it is difficult |
to return to their homes in the states,
but, with bulldog tenacity, they re /
main in Washington and drift from
bad to worse, until some big |
hearted senator or congressman |
gives them free transportation home. |
and this is the best days
work ever
done for them.