THE SKETCHER.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 9913, 30 July 1910, Page 1

THE SKETCHER.

ODD WAYS OF EARNING A LIVING. Extraordinary Occupations That Enable Mea to aain Thrts livelihood. ■ . (" Uhicago Tribune.' 1 ) " Half the world knows not how the other half lives" is a truism that receives odd confirmation when it is considered how many queer ways there are of making a living. The ingenuity of the unemployed ;who have, perhaps, been unable to obtain work of the usual nature, has-been exercised with some strange results. + v, •. There are persons who make their living bv "waking up" others, an oc- ' cnpation that is said to have originated in the mind of a young fellow in. Chicago. He had been the assistant of a newsdealer, who was oblige be at his stand early m .the niornm„. The newsdealer was inclined to sleep later than was desirable, and his patrons complained; He purchased an alarm clock, and for a few days this awakened him promptly, 'but by and by he became so accustomed to its ring ing that it no longer aroused him. THE WAKER-T7V. As he had no one about him whom he could depend upon to wake him, it. occurred to the young assistant that . he might undertake the task of getting hia employer up at a certain hour each morning. Now tins assistant was so constituted, as some people are known -to be. that he could wake up at whatever hour he wished. , ' The newsdealer had no trouble now. Ho related his case to a brother newsdealer. This man' had tlie: same difhculty, and he at once engaged the young mail, at a salary of 4s per week, to come and wake him also. , This led the assistant to see other newsdealers or. newspaper carriers with a proposition to wake, them, tfeiore lone he found a dozen people who en- ' gaged him. all at the rate of 4s per week.- His business; spread, so . that finally he gave up his regular employment and adopted the new one as his only occupation. Eventually hetournl 80 manv patrons in various lines oi business that he was obliged to buy an automobile in order to make the circuit. His business had so much increased that he could afford this convenience.- ' „ , , He .'has a long list of people, resident in one section, to arouse; a ' throndv the morning hours, o'clock to six, he may be seen dashing •through' the]'streets to* tins place and that. ' At' severr o'clock his work tor the day, is done. I'ROFKSSIONAL ESCORTS. One of the most extraordinary occupations by which young men in New York and" other large cities earn an honest living is that of "professional escort." During the last few years this 'peculiar^voaation.has developed to a surprising extent, and has proved extremely profitable to many iiupecunians. young l fellows of polished manners and pleasing, appearance, nota few of them " feeing actors .out of engagements. This idoa is of English origin. In London, where it is not considered good form for women ■to visit theatres and entertainments or. even to go shopping unaccompanied by a man, tho profess sional escort has long been an established institution. In IS ew York there are v now thoroughly reputably and recognised, agencies for the 'supplying of male attendants upon woman ' visiting, tho city for business or pleasure, and who have not the advantage of friends or acquaintances of the male sex. Those establishments are conducted upon the most strict and orthodox business principles.: There is no question whatsoever of, their respectability, and the escorts they furnish are carefully selected young men of integrity and intelligence, honest and RELIABLE IN EVERY SENSE 01' THE WORD. The- professional escort has an intimate knowledge of the city and its institutions. He .reports for duty each morning at ten o'clock and holds his services at the command of the agency until 'midnight, although he may not be actively employed (more than a few hours each day, and some days not at all. He must pay especial attention to the matter of dress, and at night >nust don the conventional evening garb if required to do so. There are men employed in publishing and commercial houses whose sole duty is to make legible bad handwriting, which for, special reasons the firmMay not-wish to ignore. In the case of one house, , turning out popular stories for boys, the employment of such an expert was found necessary by reason of the bad handwriting of one old and valued contributor; who either would not or could not learn how to use a typewriting machine. . In Paris one of the oddest callings is that of dog and 1 cat barber. The barber appears before one's dwelling place carrying a bag of implements a'nd a kind of penny whistle, upon which he plays a few plaintive notes. He never lifts his .voice. His calling is minted in white letters upon his black bag" Tondeur des chiens," and all the city knows his whistle. Tlie dog and cat barber is a real artist, and to .watch him at. work upon a curly LonIcu or a sleek Persian cat is most interesting to the uninitiated. The poodles in his. hands are shaved with mathematical precision where they

READING FOR EVERYBODY.