Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1909-01-30

Special Correspondence.
ONDON. Jan. 21-ClOse 20 the
Trocadera restaurant. Just back
OF Piccadilly Circus-the haunt
OF the gay world Of London-is
an obscure little court which bears the
suggestive name of "Ham Yard" In
this little bypass, removed but a step
from the human tide which pours
through the great thoroughfarcs OF this
district. there assemblies every morn
ing about 2 O'Clock a motley throng of
persons, many of whom once called
themselves self-respectng citizens.
Clad IN tatters and rags, broken down
morally. physically and mentally, these
human dereicts seek employment
either as ordinary sandwich men," or.
attired In borrowed toys, consisting Of
frock coat. weIl-creased trousers, top
hat, gloves and closely rolled umbrel-
Ia, sauntor forth into the hurly-burly
Of life as members Of the "Gentlemen's
brigade"
Ex-policemen. ox-actors. business
men, clergymen, representatives OF
every profession, an "ex-something' in
life find their way daily TO Ham Yard.
The lives of these ghosts of the gutter
often are fun of tragic surprises, re
ieved occasionally by strokes OF for
tune when they find money or articles
OF value during their weary wander
ngs.
II is not easy to obtain from the
sandwich men any Information about
themselves. Hiding under assumed
napcs-as most Of them dO-they nave
buried their past, and few viii consent
20 resuWCct its memory. To smith Of
Ham Yard. however-W. r.. Smith To
Doe eN4ct-the secret Of many an inter
cstiue career has been revealed. smith
has had more experience with sand
witch men than perhaps any one else
iu tho world. For more than 40 years
DC has made "a living for himself bv
keeping alive such unfortunates, Oc-
casi0ullly OF course. the human ilot-
sam and ietsam cast upon the shores
OF Ham Yard leave messages that tell
their stories just as other wrecks
along the ocean sands.
PARSONS PECULIAR POSITION
The writer recently spent O day with
the sandwich men, In order 20 learn
some of their lurid life-stories. Until
recently. one old man long figured as
q London sandwich man under the
name of "the parsOu.' IL was not
mere hgurative nickname, for the
elderly carrier of the banner had
been am cminently respected vicar
iu wealthy village. His story Is
mu OF pathetic human intet est.~
Though the parson himself led
life OF perfect recutude, his son, IKE
offspring of good many other pre-
Iates. ana not come up 20 the standard
OF the cloth He went in for drink
ing. gambling and the usual diversions
that the good books tell us lead 10
ruin. and finally left his home and
went mp 10 London. For long time
the father managed 10 Keep him QUO
of "serapcs" but. ultimately, through
iudorsIug some notes. tho elder man
was brought to penury and had to
sever hIs connection with the church.
Leaving his home, "the Parson
came up 90 London 90 seek employ
meut But fortune did not favor him.
Tie could hnd nothing 90 do and as
last resort applied 90 Mr.. smith for
600 engagement as 'sHndWcheI.'
ON hearing the name. Mr. smith re-
f.rreI tu Dis books ana remarked cas-
uJuy chat there was another man I'M
tho brigade bearing the same title.
10 turned out 90 br the "Parsou's'
own son. lt was arranged that they
should be- put into the same corps.
and for many months puraded the
London streets together father and
SON trlmuiug along ull sorts of wealth
en- bearing the yoke about their necks.
Mr smith became Interested iu the
couple. and discovering that the son
was "a clever artist the youth was enc
courag0d hy DTS patron 90 develop his
talent and succeeded in producing
some excellent landscapes. for which
Mr Smith undertook t0 end "a market
This looked like "a splendid opportunity
Tor che young man t0 eXtrIcuto him-
self and h.s father from their predica-
ment BuL 0l1a for human fralltyl
The parsons SON borrowed a consid-
cradle cum off money ostenalbly for
the purpose of getting pictures frame
ed and dcCamped, taking hls pictures
with him Overcome hy this last
disaster. inc father suddenly disau-
psarei from the brigade" leaving
nu trace
EN-PoLlCEMAN on UPpERs
"Y0u Soc that man leaning against
the HaI.. said Mr Smith. a- he stood
40 n.s window and pointed down upon
ihrons waiting fol "asaIsuments.
mo Was once one of Che most promi-
n"ni policemen on the London force. ln
nlrO.t Nu. uf promotion we have had
numbers of eA-p0lccmen here az one