The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1877-04-07
Il TRAMP'S PARADISE.

y
Il TRAMP'S
Stories of Men ayhO Haze seen Better Days.
No. 81 York street, near Light, South
Baltimore, is a large, Anticipated brick
building, which a half century ago was
doubtless considered a handsome resi-
dence. It still bears evidence of having
been erected with considerable care.
For some years past it has been occupied
as an oyster-packiRg establishment, but
at present is used as a lod~ging-house by
poor men who pay ten cents for q bed,
and are furnished with a cup of coffee or
q bowl of soup for five cents. The first
floor is used as an Office and as q kitchen
and dining room, and the two upper
floors contain fifty cots, which are nightly
occupied by worKingmen and tramps.
The bedding consists of a straw mattress
andpillow, two'cotton sheets and blankets.
The sheets are changed once a week, and
the placei is kept as clean rs possible. Inthe
winter the rooms are heated to a CON-
Portable temperature, and in summer the
numerous windows furnish the necessary
ventilation. The stristest order is pre-
served in the sleeping rooms, and no man
is admitted who is overcome by liquor.
Any diserderly conduct is at once pun
ished by the election of the offender.
Strict rules are rightly enforced by those
having charge of the establishment one
of which is that each bed must be paid
for in advance. Among. it's regular
patrons are many men who have seen
better days. One man somewhat adj
vanced in years, said that he had been
educated at college by wealthy pasents,
had graduated in one of the learned
professions, but destroyed all the bright
prospects Of his life by the use of strong
drink. He had gradually descended in
the social scale, until for years Ehe had
earned a Precarious livelihood by odd
jobs of work along Light-street wharf.
Some days he would be short of food,
but he had always managed to have his
ten cents at night for his bed. On the
reporter expressing his surprise at find
ing ma of his attainments in such a
position, he said it was not at all sur
prising ; that even a mayor of Baltimore
had died in a poor-house. Another one
of the inmates stated that years ago he
had been a bookkeeper, but had lost his
position from evil habits. He worked at
anythine he could End to do, and during
these hard times it was difficult for him
to earn some days the price of his bed.
Another man said that be was from the
west and had started to visit the cen.
tennial. He had got no further than
Baltimore, and had gone to work on the
wbarves, earning just enough to keep
him from starving and to obtain his bed
at night. He said that there were many
in the building whose story was pre-
cisely similar to his own. The reporter
recognized among the inmates a man of
high lineage and liberal education, con-
nected with some of the first families in
Maryland. "You know my story" he
said, "it is all told in one word, drink 4
had | the money / should be drunk to-
night; | should then sleep at the station
house, in all probability" Another
ledger was a man who twenty years ago
was a fast and popular youth in this
city. He had an indulgent father, who
supplied him literally, and who stood by
him in trouble to the extent OF his
means. The father, through the sons
extravaganza, lost his fortune, and the
son by this time having become idle and
dissolute, became q drunkard and a
vagrant. The excesses of the wal
finished his downfall, and now he spends
his time in doing any odd jobs that. fall
in his way, and in soliciting old friends
for a little help. Few who remember
his liberal hand in the time of his pros
peYity refuse him assistance.-BaNnnote