The Washington herald., 1911-09-24

Upon my soul, HanSbroughham, dean
boy, it's very kind Of you to stand me
this. I'm a little short this week, almost
stone broke, y'know, but next week I
shall be in funds. reahlly. and I want
you to dine with me then"
The man addressed at the table that
held three and toward which a fourth
man was moving as II he were discover
ing friends waved his hand slightly as
II he did not care. and ordered cigars
He had quite the air of the grand
seigneur. The third man did not say a
word, but watched his glass wolfishly.
1t was evident that manners alone re-
strained him from swallowing its con-
tents Immediately, before the others had
poured out their drinks. Once he drank
his eyes lit up with satisfaction and he
looked at bottle and glasses almost low
ingly, as II he rarely saw such quality.
All four men were neatly dressed, the
host almost handsomely. The clothes Of
the others were a trifie shabby, but they
were well cut and we'll fitting. Each
man carried himself smartly and show
ed himself used to the best. Every voice
was low pitched and pleasant. About
at least two there, was a touch Of the
military
Several other men who seemed strange
ly like them came up and spoke and sat
down at adjoining tables. Each little
group appeared to have one man who
was doing the honors, who was better
dressed than the others, and more sat
isfied with himself
They're all remittance men," whis-
pered the manager Of the place. They
have taken this cafe as a sort OF club
and they use two OF the other big and
al 4r rha
though not as regularly as this. There's
very seldom an afternoon when several
tablefuls OF them are not here. We
don't much care about having them, for
their trades not so very valuable; but
they are gentlemen and they're well
behaved as We don't say anything.
One Almost a Lord.
Every one of them comes Of a good
English family. and they've been sent
over here for something or other. That
man with the fine shoulders was a
captain in the British army. in India
You should see him walk. That man
next him is almost a lord. His cousin
has the title and a little boy comes
next. If both die he will step into the
on just enough to keep body and soul
together.
Some of them live on as low as s.
week. but that's unusual. The lowest
sent them from home is generally $50
month. Nearly always they have to go
to a lawyer downtown to get it. OF
course. some get a great deal more.
There's one man that comes here who
has $4,000 a year sent him from Rome
as long as he lives in New York. He
draws his money weekly, just like a SAL
ary.
The men you see entertaining are
those who have Just received some
money or have made some by a streak
of luck. All these gentlemen know each
other, and when a man has any money
he is good to the others. He won't lend
him much. but he will treat him to the
best a house like this affords. and that
means a great deal to these men that
know what riches are, and now, except
at times. have hardly a penny in their
pockets"
People who have come in touch with
the remittance man say that there are
200 or 900 of them in New York. There
may be more. who are kept under cover
and live in seclusion, but that is un-
likely. for mingling with people that are
really his kind and getting even frag-
ments of the luxury he once knew are
as the breath of life to the remittance
man.
Gravitate to New York.
The remittance man, in the majority
of cases, gravitates to New York. So
long as he puts the ocean in between
and keeps it there his family does not
much care where he stays. In New York
he is likely to meet visiting Englishmen
who may not be informed about his his
tory and Americans who like the Eng
lish Of good class and are not always
as careful as they might be to make in
QuIries.
To be able to rub elbows with such
people he must keep well dressed. The
New York remittance man is sometimes,
by hard fate, without his evening toys,
but II he has to go hungry he invariably
sees that his clothes-perhaps he is down
to a single suit-are we'll pressed, his
linen clean, and his boots shining.
One man of this order much seen in
hotel cafes has precisely a dollar a day to
'pend for eating and getting about town
after his room rent is paid. Every Friday
afternoon there is waiting for him at
irm of New York attorneys si2- Under
10 circumstances, after this is drawn,
an he get another cent until the follow
ng Friday. 4 moderate priced New York
ailor and an equally modest priced haber-
iasher have orders to let him have so
many dollars worth of goods each three
months.
A number of remittance men receive
heir stipend from home quarterly, but