The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1877-01-25
'tfamps come To- see us ilow?p-

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tfamps:come to see. US il9w?p
Couldn't guess, unless It is that
they are in some place where there
are "phatter takeso than they. get
here"
The goddess NLuta reigned again,
and the night dragged on. 1t seem
ed to all of us as if it was longer
than any other night through which
we had ever tried to labor. The lit
tie clock just over the foreman's desk
gave eleven strokes, and went on
ticking as merrily as if it had no
thought or care of its dirty face and
crooked hands. 1t seemed to think
it had no more cause of being asham-
ed than The printers who made such
happy clicking with their type and
who were not over particular as to
how unkempt their hair appeared or
what an untidy look their faces pre-
scnted.
Footsteps were heard ascending the
stairs, They were not elastic nor
numbering footsteps; they were not
the footsteps of man of business;
they were merely the footsteps of
tramp-a printer tramp. He came
in as familiarly as if he had known
the winding passages and the office
for years. We looked at him as he
entered and he looked at us, He
walked directly to the foreman.
Hello" said he, taking a seal
."Is there any chance fora fellows
getting work?'
Al shouldn't wonder if you could
get'a chance at doing something
You might see some oE,the beys.n-
At this the tramp'sf faqe. lighted up
and he walked directly sqyer to me.
"Could you giyeafello~ pail
he. asked.
! gYes; you.tan work for me the re-
mainder Of the night. And''T will
gjye you what l have already made
t6-day,p'
"Thanks. You're true one"
returned the warm grasp of his
hand, aud could not but sympathize,
with him as l gazed upon his enact
atcdfact, his bleared eyes and his bony
hands,'I knew only too well what
had brought him to this. saw
whisky in the nervousness with
which he grasped the type; L saw
whisky written in indclible lines,
which had almost deepened into
wrinkles on his young face; the stun
ted growth of his hair showed the
work Of whisky. He talked in Il
rapid, broken tone of voice, and his
breath gave out Its fumes, and his
very clothes seemed to be saturated
with the murderous liquor. Idoubt'
ed not but that the spirit of Bacchus
was with him at all times.
wandered homeward. could
not think of anything but that tramp
l did ask myself if he had home
His buttonless shirt, torn coat and
reckless manner answered that quos-
ton in the negative only too plainly.
And yet with all his bad habits |
knew he had a heart; it was reflected
! in his smile-a winning smile, ,withal
so sad.
Right here it may not be inappro-
pirate to remark that printers, as a
class, are looked upon as a disrcpu-
table set of beings. If one goes along
the street the people say; "Ho is
nothing but typoslinger, and he
spends all his earnings for drink"
They do not take into consideration
the monotonous labors Of his life
Perhapsif these kind ofpeople should
| form words after words in the sight
destroying gas.light for only one
night, they could appreciate his ar
duous duties. 0, you people who
have natures privileges, you who
can sleep in natures arms, instead
of on her back, 0for can only liken
sleeping by daylightas on her rough,
hard back, consider that while you
are being fascinated by Morpheus the
weary printer is preparing your lit
orary breakfast, aud, if you can do
nothing else, pity him some little
encouragement, for his career at best,
rs is proved by statisciqns, is but
brief and fraught with manly tribu'
lations. Having inldlged in this
..".. a . ...., ,.WagnnI