The Vinita daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1902-1913, 1909-02-25

He toileth not, neither does he spin
but he has mastered the art of living
on nothing a 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 exc out ex-
istence on zero income are in general
a shabby lot. Whence they come, and
whittier they go. 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 mum,
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
tails unique collection of hotel hang
ers-on. The dramatist thought the
hangers-around existence must be
gloomy one and yet they appeared to
MIN 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 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 clean collar-even
= his shoes be shined with stove pol
:sh-can get whisky. He can get
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 and 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-I want to know,
as they put it in Boston town.
There can be no question that these
hangers-around and chaiTwarmers are
the beneficiaries of a 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
acquaintances to extend an invitation
to wet a whistle" an invitation which
is rarely refused, for it is written
pledge of the Washington hanger-on
never to refuse a drink. In a ma
iority Of cases their acquaintances are
sought with financial, not alcoholic
prospects in view. An acquaintance
who cannot produce the fluid in ex-
change for a few stories is soon given
the go-by Time to them IS not
worth much. but yet it is too valuable
% waste with men who cannot buy the
drink.
Most of these unfortunates are men
who have lost government jobs either
on account of ineompetency 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 serdce TO this. 1t does
not take long for many Of them to de-
generate ioto 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