"Well, that depends on the moocher. There's enough charity here, and some to spare, if you know how to look for it. I never get over half a crown a day, but I can tell you a dozen places where you can get your dinner. Scoff's always more plenty than money."
"D' you mind tellin' what's the main gag in Glasgow just now, for raisin' money?" I queried still further.
"Well, I think gettin' vaccinated 's about the best thing goin' just now."
"What d' you mean?"
"Well, you see, smallpox 's on the boards; the people are scared; bums are likeliest to get the sickness; so it's been arranged that any man who will get himself vaccinated can have a week's kip free. Some blokes've been jagged [vaccinated] two or three times."
This same vagabond did me another good turn down near the docks. We were walking along a street when three town tramps came along and guyed my hat. My companion noticed it, and as I had told him that I had been considerably martyrized in this way before, he turned round sharply on the guyers, and thundered out:
"Who're you lookin' at? Ef you're tryin' to guy this Yank, you'd better stop. Ef you don't, there'll be a fight."
I said: "Let's run, if you really mean that."
"Not much! I'm English, you know; and I can knock out any Scotchman that comes around, and I'm in the mood for 't right now."
The town bums took him at his word, and left. I said to him: "You English fellows seem to have things pretty much your own way here."