Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1877-01-24
MISCELLANY,

iii1ii1aiiiI1iiii1
MISCELLANY.
A Glimpse Of Tramp Life.
From the Boston Globe,
The Cincinnati Commercial prints
some choice selections from the diary
of tramp. The book was found on
the person of o wretched vagrant
who died in hospital, and il genu-
inc, as 1t appears to be, furnishes
glimpse of the life of veritable
tramp which in its main features was
probably very much like that of hum
dreds of other aimloss and thriftless
wanderers. No doubt there are men
hastily set down in the category of
tramps, who are merely destitute and
unfortunate, without home and with
out work, but who would gladly
have both, If by honest industry they
were to be had. But these are not
real professionals, and doubtless
sooner or later reach some destina-
ton and settle down in comparative
comfort. The genuine tramp does
not want steady work, and no home
on earth could hold his restless feet.
He has q mania for wandering and a
settled aversion for quiet and in.
dustrious life. He glories in the in
dependence of the outcast; the un-
certainty of his subsistence has for
him the spice of adventure, and the
risks and chances which are so fasci-
mating to the human mind, whether
in the stock market or the gambling
house, afford excitement in his va
grancy.
The diary, which begins with jan
uary !, 1876, sets out with the impor-
tant statement, "spent Is cents" Hay-
ing INDUCED in that unwonted ex-
travagance the tramp "set around the
house" and "loafed" for the next five
days. Whose house he "set around'
or where he "loafed" does not an.
pear, but it is evident that he spent
no money and was laboriously ma
king up his mind to set forth ON his
pilgrimage. On the It'll of January
he set out with "Sam," apparently
from Terre Haute, Ind, which seems
to have been the base of all his move
ments, and went to Vincennes ON a
freight train. Having got that start,
the pair walked l8 miles. The next
day they walked Is more and were 81
miles from "home." What they were
there for, and what they did there is
q mystery, but the very next day
they set forth on the return to Terre
Haute. They "camped out" at night
in the midst Of January, and on ar.
irving at Terre Haute the tramp re.
cords that he had spent his slast nick.
ell" He tells about trading pistol
for . watch, packing" lumber and
packing wash-water' at "Tully's
hangout." Where he got the pistol
he did not say, but these ventures in
traffic and industry gave him little
cash, and he and his pal went to In.
dianapolis on freight train for nc
purpose, for the next day he records
1--WE took q notion to 90 home. and
got on freight train" Passenger
trains were q luxury beyond theil
reach, and probably not to theil
taste,
The next day the two "camped Out
all day, and packed some stove-pipe
home from the gravel pit" This
seems to have been preparatory t.
setting up an establishment, for &
day or two later they "packed has
ket of coal and fixed up their ROOM
Their housekeeping did not thrive
the grocer became troublesome abou
his bills, and finally the "pardners'
had a falling out. AS the diary ha,
it: "Me and my pal had fight to
day he tried to cut me with knife
This finished the housekeeping, ani
the tramp was ON the move again
Soon after this there was q romanti,
episode in his life which shows tina
at least tone touch of nature make
the whole world kim" February 1,
he records: "Got in with a woman
and ! agreed to keep her in grub, an(
pay house rent and keep her il
clothes" This liberal offer was &C
cepted, and February l9 he says
"We are married, and she is tn,
|prettiest woman in Terre Haute ant
the best Next day, "sct around tn,
house and made love to my wife.
This was matrimonial bliss but i
could not last. In just five days tn,
husband "took q notion to go on
tramp" The domestic bonds sa
lightly on his restless spirit. The no
ton took him, or as he put it, he tool
the notion, and wandered off to Gin
cinnati. He went up to the summit
of Mount Auburn, travelled through
Eden Park, visited the fountain ant
the Exposition Building, and though
the "Mardi-gras" procession bi.
turn out. Evidently he had the in
stincts of a traveller. He hung aroun,
Cincinnati for some weeks, getting
square meal" occasionally, bein,
turned away from station houses
sleeping out Of doors, making excur
sions to Dayton and elsewhere, ant
finally getting sick and worn out
He records that he has had "bai
luck" has to give up job becaus
he is too sick to finish it, goes to tn
dispensary for medicine, lies off go
to see if couldn't get little better,
and evidently fails in this for his di
airy breaks off suddenly and he die,
in Cincinnati hospital. The RECORD
is not without pathos, but it show
the utterly thriftless and aimles
character Of genuine tramp. Thi
unknown vagrant with a literary
turn has given lis picture of tram
life more vivid than the Imagination
could easily produce.