The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-08-31

, MT. Smith referred to his books and re- marked casually that there was another
 man in the brigade" bearing the same name He turned out to be the parson 1 son. It was arranged that they should be put into the same corps, and for many
 months they paraded the London streets together, father and son, tramping abng , in all sorts of weather carrying Hne | banner" on their shoulders
 :; MT Smith became interested in the 1 couple and discovered that the .son was | a clever artist, encouraged him to de- | velop his talent, with the result that he produced some excellent landscapes for which MT. Smith undertook to find
 market This looked like a splendid opportunity for the son to extrcate him | self and his father from their position
 in the underworld But alas for human | frailty, The parsons son borrowed
 considerable sum of money, ostensibly
 for the purpose of getting his pictures
 framed and decamped taking the paint ings with him. Overcome by this last
 disaster, the father suddenly disappeared from the brigade leaving no trace
 Another humble carrier of the ban ner" in London was once moneyed man in the city. A quarter of a century ago he lived in Manchester Square and
 drove carriage and pair about the West End. Today he wears beard, which is
 
 for he often has to trudge past the fash
 ionable clubs in Pail Mall of which he was once a member. He lost his for
 tune in some commercial enterprise.
 Another victim of circumstances who
 has long worked as sandwichman was
 once prominent London architect. He
 was wont to dine daily at one or another of the great London restaurants, being |; a familiar figure at Princes and the Trocadero. He lost his fortune, and then his health, and at last came down
 to the banner" Every day this man
 passes within few paces of his former
 fashionable haunts. Occasionally he dis
 appears from the brigade but always , turns up again. It is,presumed that these , periods of mysterious disappearances are : ldue to the aid of some sympathetic , friend who attempts to rescue him. AT uncomfortable failing-"the cup Una . cheers" however always gets the bet
 II ter of him, and 70 the pitiful tragedy , goes on.
 , You see that man leaning against the
 wall?' said MT. Smith, as he stood al
 his window and pointed down to the , huddle of unfortunates waiting Tor as signments." i'"He was once one or the $ most prominent policemen on the Londor . force in the direct line of promotion , We have had numbers of ex-policemer here at one time or another. man has ; often said to me. Don't send me ou
 now, guv'nor, please; there's sergeant
 standing at the cnossng who used te , know me when I was on the force. h' doesn't know I've come down to this
 FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE You would scarcely credit some ol , the applications we have. Besides pro , fessional men, we frequently nave I lclerks who have occupied good positions and also a smattering of ex-actors ane f | railway officials, together with iaii
 number of representatives Of the army s and navy" , men who had figured in such walks ol : life. One with broad shoulders, an iron n grey. beard and piercing eyes, wearlne : "a paaked cap, seemed to stand out iron I la group of slouching. slope-shoulderee figures. . . That man was the master Of snip; s explained Mir Smith. He lost one or ni' : vessels was not reinstated, and tool ito drink. He does rot drink now; food + | hard enough for him to get. Being te' old to go to sea as common sahor Ithere was nothing for him to do but g' | on the streets. He might have got lnt' Iseme sailors home, but he seemed t' resent the suggestion. Tie pr1lens e,s. ~ s',n ing few shillings day to peins sup l ncrted by charity. We have several TOT Il mer navy men with us now, two O. whom were midshipmen.
 If has been mentioned that, as san | ] wichmen walk through the streets the, atwavs keen their heads bent down. then exes upon the ground. There is an op II !, feet in this. They are seeking III tn' gutter. the roadway, or the pavement io some object which may bring temporar, Ii emancipation to them. No unconsioere' trifIe escapes them. Like birds Of prey they ever watch the moving platform Q tbe ground Occasionally, someenlns
 s,;stans There is a sudden swoop on tn' nart of the sandwichman. In. his nan' he holds coin, or perhaps purse. if be a small coin. the nearest pup. will receive it. But if the sum ioun' he fairly large, the sandwichman dlsap hears from his ordinary haunts uhei u inc last penny of it is spent.
 Considerable sums have been toun' hv sandwichmen. One of them, som years ago. picked up purse containinl soso in banknotes. He was not con
 science-striken over his find, and all
 not nromptly report his good luck |
 Inc nolice. Being of generous nature he treated" most of his mates ID .n
 "hrigade.- and for neasly WeeK III
 employer found some difficulty Tn .ui filling his advertising contracts WI. soher sandwitchmen Anotaer luck fellow found a jewt'ed cigar case
 was laying in the gutter in front of tn 'ul CritArion theatre: and evideruy "a
 been dropped as its owner stepped 2.
 of, or into. cab. The fina was ne
 lturned in at the Lost Property Offfce
 at Scotland Yard. where all finds al A.~l xxrnI kz