New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-04-11
Tramp Printers.


ranks az many wanderers as the art typo.
graphical. Every printing Office has it's
legends OF their coming and going. Two
years ago died at Bucyrus, Ohio, Thomas
Wallace, who was cOmpositor in Des
Moines twenty-five years before. Prior to
that he was at Iowa City, and set type
on the journal Of the first Territorial Legis-
lature. He had worked, at the time of his
death. in 300 different offices, and went to
the printers reward at the ripe age OF
eighty years. As an evidence of the differ
ent ages in which he piled his art, he pulled
Rumage press in 1921, and in 1870 set
type for petroleum V. Nasty" in Toledo.
Ohio.
.Matchet'-if he ever had any other
name, no one this side of his christening
fount was ever able to discover it-com.
menced his career IN Scotland in 1920. The
first year the Legislature was in session in
Des Moines, Matchet appeared here as an
actor, in the first theatrical performance
given in this city. He had but one eve,
and, like most of the tramps, had an I'm
bounded capacity for benzine. He was a
composition in equal parts Of printer,
actor and vagabond, and excelled
in each character: Ten or twelve years
after he trod the boards in Des Moines he
came back, the last time travelling on
pass on the dirt road, which he traversed
for lack of lucre wherewith to pay stage
fare. The second time he appeared as a
printer, and good one he was, too. He
worked on the old Citizen until he had ac-
cumulated $50. Then he started for
Georgia, intending to tramp the entire dis
lance. Two years ago an old, grizzed
and wrinkled man entered the Register
composing room about midnight. With
easy nonchalence he introduced himself as
"Old Matchet." The next day he was
given work, and the next, being Sunday, he
squandered his days wages in forty rod
whisky, and that night he slept in the press
room. He estimated that the aggregate
miles OF his tramps exceeded sixty thou
sand. One trip was from Fort Leaven-
worth to California. He was about seventy
years old when he left Des Mones, and set
fine type without the aid of spectacles. His
when aeked why he travelled afoot, was
that it "hurt his feet to ride"
Jack Harrington is another travelling
typOgrapher whose fingers have been Piled
in the printing offices of every State. His
first exploit in his life was to spend $40, 900
left him by an accumulative but short-lived
paternal ancestor. Then he commenced to
tramp and soak himself with the whskies
of all points of the compass. He has prob.
ably borrowed half dollar of every jour
printer in the Union, and when he dies will
attempt to "stand Oft" with his undertaken.
Singletary is most remarkable tramp.
Born in Ohio, he worked at his trade until
he had accumulated 500. Then he started
out to ace Mexico, which he did in company
with Zach Taylor. The close OF the war
found him at New Orleans, and from there
he started with the expressed purpose Of
visiting every State and Territorial
capital Ten years ago his mission was
completed, Des Moines being the last,
xuha ho xrnrlyo1 To
money to carry him home to Ohio. Nearly
all OF his tramping was done afoot. He
slept in press room in preference to
hotel, and in the summer time was happy
while slumbering in friendly hay NOW.
Like most of those old style tramps, he
was an excellent workman, and could have
handsome property had he
not been under the influence of the genius
OF unrest.
Jack Allen is yet in the land of the
living, just coming to the close of life |
that has stretched out three quarters of a
century. Unlike most tramps, he has |
always been strictly temperate. He has |
probably seen more and seen better than |
any tramp in the country. Yesterday he |
eft the Register office, where he |
mad labored two weeks. He came
acre from Austin, Texas, having
walked all the way except strip Of
about 100 miles through the Indian Terri
,Ory, and worked more or lees in almost
he Lone Star State. He left here en- route
or Duluth, which, he said, was the only
own of 1000 inhabitants in the United
states which he had not visited
Jack AllcOrn has walked until his feet are |
pread ont as flat as pancake. He has
Ounted the ties of half of the railroads in
he Union. When he was fifty years old he
ound himself at Richmond, Virginia, work
ng at his trade. The rebellion commenced
nd Jacks sentiments told him to go North
he government of the Confederate States
'anted his skill in the government printing
flee, and he remainad at Richmond,
COnfed. guarding his door to
ee that he did not escape. Six months of
his life was dull dose, and one evening
be tramping printer was among the miss
y. The next time he saw Richmond he
'as swinging sabre in Sheridan's cavalry.
It the close of the war he again took the
bad, and last winter, his head white with |
ge, but with a step as light as thirty years
efore. the unconquerable Jack came
larching into Des Moines on the ties of
le Valley road. A short period of labor on |
tate work satisfied him and he left en- |
,ute for New Orleans.
It's cOnundrum what becomes of old |
amps. Wallace is the only one of them
TAT has been known to die; the others are
ill on the 60, and give no symptoms of
'lapse into either the grave or quiet. If
ley should die, they wouldn't be satisfied 1
the other world unless there was some
'rner of it that they hadn't visited.-Des.
Dimes Register.
To Weave Hair. IL
A writer in the Household gives some very
ain directions how to weave hair. Take a
QO0fh hoard and q h ale foot lonr and