The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1875-03-11
The Champion Grasshoppcr Sufferer.

He looked into the waiting room at the
Central depot yesterday, saw an elderly
couple there waiting to go west, and then,
after making sure that the special police
man was not around he entered the room.
He was man who had seen other days,
that was PLAIN. His plug hat was years
old, his coat shone with age and grease, and
there was no collar on his neck, A police
man would have mentally recorded him as
"vag" without moments hesitation, and
the fellow would have stood q chance Of
being trotted to the central station.
"My good friends, he commenced as he
approached the innocent old c0ple from
Vermont ''for hckvens sake help me a
little :"
"Who are your" asked the husband,
struck with the bummers lonesome voice
and generally hard look.
"Name's Jones-Kansas-g rasshoppers!
replied the man turning away his head as
if deeply affected.
"Be you one of those poor unfortunates
who were almost eat up by the grasshop-
pers ?" exclaimed the woman, her sympa-
thies all aroused.
1.-The same, madame" sighed Jones !;
chad to leave the state-gong to New
| Hampshire-got as far as here and money
| gave out Heaven only knows whatll be-
come of u.s.
"Are you married 2" she asked.
"Yes'um-wife'n nine children; they are
out here on the common in wagon, all
sick and shiyering with the cold !"
ave heard about them grasshoppers !;
were they very thick ?" asked the man.
Thick echoed Jones, you couldn't
tell the difference twixt day and night,
and the roaring of their wings made us
deaf"
"Afy erasmus but wasn't that awful p
sighed the woman.
II had n hundred acres of corn, fifty of
wheat, thirty of oats-nice meadow-lot of
fruit, but the grasshoppers made beggar
of me in five hours !" continued Jones.
"They eat the stuff right up, did they p
''1'here's folks east here who don't believe
it," continued Jones, "but it is solemn
fact that the grasshoppers chewed up iron
wedges, gnawed the boards Off'n the barns,
bit plough points all up, and if we hadn't
hid our horses IN the cellar, they'd have
been munched sure"
"And you had to leave ?"
eyes, sold my land for eleven dollars,
got nv family into the wagon and started
east. Been one hundred and eighty days
coming this far, and buried two children
on the way. Lor' only knows what's to be-
come of us! | wish | was in the river out
there then my heart wouldn't be burstin
with grief and trouble !"
Poor man :" sighed the woman. "Eb-
enezer, let's give him two dollars"
1.-TWO dollars is pile OF money" unused
the man.
"But it's an awful sad case, Ebcnezer-
huff to tech heart of flint"
'The Lord loveth a cheerful giver, ad
ded Jones, as he drew his sleeve across his
nose.
wall, s'posc its hard case, and We
won't be any poorer for givin two dollars,
said the husband as he pulled out his wal
let and handed out two dollar bill.
"Thanks, my kind FRIEND replied Jones
81 hope you will never see the trouble I'm
having. This'll buy medicine and provi
sons and kinder help us along like, and
feel as though | could throw my arm
around We and hug We for your kindness.
"That's all right, said the husband.
81 wish it was ten, added the woman
as she shook Jones outstretched hand.
He slid out, and ten minutes afterwart
might have been seen in Front street
saloon pouring bad gin out Of n tall decan
ter and remarking to the barkeeper
"Say, old pard was it in Virginia o.
Kansas that the grasshoppers was so thick
Detroit Free Press.