THE LONDON BEGGAR.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XIII, Issue 190, 10 September 1878, Page 4

THE LONDON BEGGAR.

(By " One of the London Tazzaroni," in the "Pall Mall Budget.") Downright beggary is a winter trade; I never resort to it in summer, and only on suitable daya in winter. I wait for a bitter cold day, with a north wind driving sleet or 3now before it. I. dress in suitable style — in the most ragged raimeut I can pick up. I dispense with stockings for the occasion, nnd tako good care, while affecting to make the most of my scanty garb, to let glimpses of tny naked breast appear. My boots are well down at heel and broken in half-a- iozen placep. In this gui9Q I sally forth at a good round pace, until I reach some such street as Bishopsgate-street Without, abont half-past eight in the morning when clerks, &c , are beginning to troop along to employment. Here I assume the proper mooching (begging) pose ■— stoop my head, bend my shoulders, contract my breast, and shiver along, glancing neither to the right nor left, but keeping ray eyes fixed on the ground, and chafing my fingers ae I limp past. To look af, I am the incarnation of all that Is folorn ; aud I tell you I cannot get to the end of Bishopsgate street without being stopped by a dozen people, all of whom thrust something into my haod. Most give copper ; some, however, give silver. Quitting Bishopsgate, I traverse all the busy streets in the neighbourhood of the Bank, taking good care in every instant to direct my course against the living streams pouring from 'bus and railway station. I then make ior the West-end by tho shortest route, reaching my destination about twelve o'clock or thereabouts. Here I continue my stro'i, never asking, but always receiving, until four o'clock strikes. Then back Igo fco tho City to catch the business people streaming home. By haif-paat six my day's work is done. I seldom make less than thirty shillings on such a day, often much more. Every penny of it is fairly earned too My appearance is uot altogether sham. lam drenched and frozen in a real way. Indeed, were it not that I feed well, and tako a uip of brandy every hour or so, I should nevsr be able to stick it out through the whole of such a winter day ns I describe. In refreshing himself, however, a fellow has to be careful. He must not ollow himself to become intoxicated while on bis beat ; that would be to spoil the rest of the day. A good begging winter-day does not come above twice a month and ought to be made the moat of.