Chap. XIII] Paupebs. aift 



(mere rags) sufficient to cover its nakedness, so far even 

 as common decency requires. A wretclied mortal, the 

 bare sight of whom would freeze the soul of an American 

 within him. A dejected, broken down thing, that ap- 

 proaches you bare-headed, on one knee, with a trembling 

 Toice, with " pray bestow your charity, for the Lord 

 " Jesus Christ's sake have compassion on a poor soul ;" 

 and if you toss a halfpenny into his ragged hat, he ex- 

 claims in an extasy, " God Almighty bless your honour!" 

 though you, perhaps, be but a shoe-black yourself. An 

 American beggar, dressed very much like other people, 

 walks up to 3 ou as boldly as if his pockets were crammed 

 with money, and, with a half smile, thatseems to say, he 

 doubts of the propriety of his conduct, very civilly asks 

 you, if you can HELP him to a quarter of a dollar. 

 He mostly states the precise sum ; and never sinks below 

 silver. In short, there is no begging, properly so called. 

 There is nothing that resembles English begging even 

 in the most distant degree. 



394. I have now been here twenty months, and 1 have 

 been visited by only tico beggars. The first was an 

 Englishman, and what Avas more to me, a Surrey man 

 too ; a native of Croydon. He asked me if I could help 

 him to a quarter of a dollar ; for, it is surprising how 

 apt scholars they are. " Yes," said I, " if you will help 

 " my men to do some work first." He said he could not 

 do that, for he was in a hurry. I told him, that, if a 

 man, with a dollar a day, and pork for the tenth part of 

 a dollar a pound, could not earn his living, he ought to 

 be hanged ; " however," said I, "as you are the fir^ 

 " Surrey man I ever saw in America besides myself, if 

 " you be not hanged before this day week, and come 

 *' here again, 1 will help you to a quarter of a dollar." 

 He came, and I kept ray word. The second beggar wa« 

 an Italian. This was a personage of " high conside* 

 ration." He was introduced to the side of my writing 

 table. He behaved with a sort of dignified politeness, 

 mixed with somewhat of reserve, as if he thought the 

 person to whom he was addressing himself a very good 

 sort of man, but of rank inferior to himself. We could 

 not understand each other at first; but, we got into 

 Fr^ekj und then we could talk. He baviog laid down 



