SOCIAL WRECKS.

Lake Wakatip Mail, Issue 2168, 30 July 1897, Page 4

SOCIAL WRECKS.

PROFESSIONAL MEN. There is no more saddening feature in the homes and haunts of the "dosser" than the vast number of wrecks of professional men to be met with at every turn. Some of these men are not beyond hope, but others might have been born in a ditch and never strayed beyond the borders of beggardom, so wretched, depraved, and irreclaimable are they. It is only rarely, indeed, that anything in the conduct of such members of the wholly submerged class indicates a happy past They seem as units in the crowd, and nothing more. It is strange how long and in what menner men of this kind claim or exercise the privileges of their professions. Not long ago a man died in a "doss"-house. A number of the other lodgers—determined that their comrade in misfortune should not be buried by the parishscoured the neighborhood in search of wood, and, having borrowed the necessary tools, set to work and made a coffin in which they laid the body with loving care. A grave was then secured in the free portion of a certain cemetery, and subsequently the remains of the deceased were taken thither on a hand-

cart. On the way one of the funeral party entered a rectory. When the graveside was reached, this individual put on a clergyman's surplice, after which, pulling a Prayer-book from his pocket, he began to read the burial service. Staggered at what he regarded as a disgraceful burlesque, the registrar interfered with stern dignity. "Come! I can't allow this!" he exclaimed. "I don't think you have any power to stop me," said the "dosser" quietly. "I am a minister of the Church of England." With that he continued reading, and thus had the melancholy satisfaction of doing all he could for his departed friend. The man spoke truly. He was, and, indeed is. what he described himself to be. As for the surplice and prayer-book, they were borrowed from a clergyman who knows the unfortunate "dosser's" life story. A similar declaration to that made by the last resting-place of the homeless man was once heard in the kitchen of a Liverpool lodging-house. There had been stopping at the establishment for several months a quiet, sad-featured man, dressed for the most part in the rustiest and raggedest of black, who was in such straits that he was glad to accept the leavings of other "dossers." One night this harmless, unoffending individual unwittingly offended a drunken Irish virago, who "squared" up to him with the intention of knocking him as far through the wall as possible. But he subdued her with only four words : "What ! strike a priest ?' he said. Something in the man's tone and manner instantly carried conviction to the brain, muddled as it was, of the inebriated vixen. Her hands dropped, and she muttered an apology. Before she had recovered her amazement, and while there was still "sensation" in the kitchen, the mysterious lodger rose, walked to the door, and disappeared. The landlord heard afterwards, however, that he had entertained a disgraced Roman Catholic priest unawares. Broken down solicitors also insist on their professional rights in queer circumstances. Only a few months back several men on meeting together in a public-house bemoaned the fact that thev could not "raise" the fee of a "mouthpiece" to defend a common friend. "How much have you got? asked one of the frequenters of the establishment. Pockets were turned out. with the result that four shillings was pooled. "It isn't much, is it?" said the man. "But never mind. Give It to me, and I'll see that he's defended. On the following day this wily individual hunted up a solicitor who liaa a very good practice, but who was then not respectable enough for any profession except that of sandwich-board cairying. "So-and-So's trial is coming off to-dav," he said to the poor wretch. "You might as well appear for him. i can't give you anything for the ]OD, but"-with a burst of noble generosity"come and have a drink." For tnai glass of beer the solicitor actually defended the prisoner referred to. ine go-between, of course.pocketed the four shillings. On another occasion the landlord of a "doss"-house was deieud-ed-and cleverly defended, too-by one of his own lodgers. Nobody in tne establishment referred to knew that this individual had ever been In any way connected with the aw till he proffered his services. "Lend me some clothes, and I'll appear for you, said he. "Never mind a tet-tne magistrate won't see that-and I in not particular about a waistcoat, if you can get me a frock-coat; but I must havea fairly decent coat of some kind and a pair of trousers." The man's host was rather incredulous as to whether the •dosser" was entitled to appear in a police court. He made inquiries, however, and. as these were satisfactory, ne borrowed some clothes for the solicitor, who duly acted as his advocate.—"Cas--1 sell's Saturday Journal.'