El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1920-06-21
Bro1em Beggar

e
COFT little greetings and a little
brown paw slipping out OF the fold
her rebOsa 10 touch me as / pass
her. That one tOothed smile for me
I would hate 70 miss that smile from
my little old brown beggar woman
friend and / never yet bade her adios
without the feeling that I have taken
more than / have given. so sWeetly,
so simply, so faithfully does she call
down blessings on my house in return
for little friendly food and a little
friendly silver piece
She has been coming thus for years.
poor little old soul. toiling up the
long hill, climbing the many steps.
waiting hours sometimes in the lee
Of my doorway. Making no moan and
no patter, asking no odds, making no
apology, just waiting for her friend.
She is probably very old, she seems
so, but no one can tell whether 40
old OF so old. She Is old because
time. hunger, work. storms, and the
WEAKNESS OF the hot sun have all had
their way with her and she is so little
she never could have been very 70
bust. She never could have been
beautiful / would be laughed at I
am laughed at. but / cannot see why
/ should not like her face Her skin
is like fine brown leather carved
with May wee lines cut sharp and
clear and deep Not a coarse line
She only has one tooth left 70 smile
with but I like that smile when she
sees the coffee in the cup Tea she
is thankful for with her bite. but, oh,
sonora. coffeei Her little old brown
monkey face lights up with three
different lights that make II as good
as anybody's face. one is her smile
when there is coffee. and one is when
she says thank you and real courtesy
lights her face like a lantern. and one
is when she turns 1t szyward and
asks heavens blessings on my house.
She Is laQg- Her hands are gen
tie as she takes mine in both hers.
Often she kisses my hand Her words
are gentle. She is lady for all her
rags and poverty and her place at the
bottom Of FL Paso's social ladder.
But. oh, she is so humble She is 50
humble il hurts 70 see IL. She waits
so long sometimes for me to come up
the hill from downtown Sometimes
she has been sick and II hurts ne that
she has had 20 walt so long / do not
know when she is to be there, only
find her crOuching at my door. While
she waits, she sometimes, when she
is well. sits on a bench in the com
Portable shade In summer and IN the
comfortable sun IN winter, and as she
waits she passes the time day with
any MeXicans who happen 70 come
or go, and she smiles and greets my
friends who happen in or out She
times she crouches silent BY the door
When she receives her plate she sits
on the porch floor TO eat There Is
the bench there with a broad arm
She could sit there and put her plate
on the arm. but she never does. She
always takes her plate to the shade
OF sun ana sits on the floor with Il.
She has been coming thus fou years.
do not know her name or where she
comes from OF whether she has people /
or what her story may be. I Go not
ask her. We are just friends Once
or twice a year she viii ask me for
/ give to her, but she does not often
want more than the least bit OF help.
We went to war and the house was
closed for three years and then one
day It was opened. and within three
or four days, when ] came in one
from shopping. there was my
beggar friend crouching at the door
and smiling a dozen one toothed D
smiles at once. How she knew ] do /
not know. She takes her bite and /
sup and small coin with always the |
same quaint bobbing courtesy and I
thank yous and never forgets her /
prayer and blessing for my house and I
all within it for health and happiness [
and Gods mercy.
When she SAYS her smiling adios /
and turns to 20. the little black /
gowned figure hooded with the black /
rebosa, faltering its way down the /
steps. always leaves me with the /
feeling I have somewhat cheated her. /
II one can cheat without intending TO. /
Ny small dole IS not worth her simple. /
faithful prayer. I feel like the beg
gar. F. Nee. S.