Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1877-04-25

! says tiIC ANCn L YIN w O1Atis iitlf q 10tIl y
been making an experiment upon very
vile body and have worthily solved 8
very interesting, if not important prob
lem. What would become Of a tramp
if he were taken from his wanderings
and excellently well provided for? was
question they discussed one evening
and so many more or less curious
thoughts came to the surface that they
concluded to try the experiment just fol
lark. They found the man they were
in search of and then employed a detec'
tive to watch him. All being arranged
the tramp, who was apparently about
thirty years Of age and very seedy, was
drugged one night by a detective, placed
IN a carriage and driven to hotel, the
proprietor Of which, after seme demur.
had agreed to enter into the plan. The
! tramp was shaved and trimmed as to
his hair, bathed and placed in bed in
one OF the most luxurious rooms in the
house his old clothes were taken away
and brand new and elegant suit was
substituted for them. Everything was
there, from the fine silk hat and boots
to the watch and chain, the cane and
the silk umbrella. In the breastpocket
Of the coat was put a wallet containing
$3.50 in notes of large and small denomi-
nations. The tramp's name as he had
given it when he was first treated by
the detective to q drink-it may have
been his, and it may not, but at all
events he would recognize twas
written in the hotel register, and the
day clerk was put fly" to the whole
matter, and instructed to address him
courteeusly in the morning when he
should come down stairs, to ask after
his health, and to depart so far from the
ordinary grandeur Of the hotel clerk as
to be even deferentlal in his deport-
ment to the guest. The tramp was
then left to himself, and woke not, it
may be supposed, till the late morning,
for he did not come down till afternoon.
What his thoughts We're on waking, in a
condition analogous to that which set
poor Abou Hassan crazy and made him
believe himself the commander Of the
faithful, must. Of course, be matter Of
conjecture.
He entered the Office in gorgeous
array but with a bewildered look, and
would have bolted into the street with
out delay had he not been addressed by
namc by the clerk, who most courteous
ly gave him the compliments of the
day, and asked if he had any message
to leave for two gentlemen who had
called to see him an hour before, but
hearing that he had not yet come from
his room, merely left their cards, say
ing that they would return at seven
O'Clock. To the clerks surprise the
whilome tramp took the cards, examin-
ed them. and told the clerk in very
good English, though with the tramp's
characteristic husky voice, that press
ing business rendered it necessary for
him to leave Immediately for Chicago.
He was sorry, but would be obliged to
leave a NOTE for his friends, which he
thereupon wrote with a fluent pen,
sealed it, and directed the clerk to give
it to either gentleman who might call
for it. Upon being opened, it was
found to be merely collection Of words
put together haphazard, but all correct
ly spelled and written in a beautiful
hand. It was evident that the tramp
they had undertaken to examine was at
least fairly well educated.
Followed by the detective, the nou-
yeau richie went down Broadway as fal
as Tenth street, looking furtively to the
right and left occasionally, and, turning
at Tenth, crossed over to the east side,
and so onward down Avenue A, till he
came to a low restaurant, into which,
notwithstanding his fine appearance
and the Difference which he must have
known it would win for him, he SLOUGH
ed and shuffied in the true, romp man
ner. Addressing the bartender, he be-
gan with: "Wouldn't you please give
poo"-but there he caught himself in
time, and asked for ''little GIN"
When he had poured the glass full to
the brim, turning his back to the bar
as ne did SO and enveloping the tumb-
Ter completely with his hand, he swal-
lowed the whole at draught, turned to
the lunch of ragged sausage, and grab
bing a handful of it was about to leave
the place, when he was reminded that
he had not paid. Then he felt in all
! his pockets and said that he hadn't a
cent about him, but finally made shift to
get at one dollar bill, and having re-
ceived the change, he walked out, and
at the corner stood for long time in a
brown study, muttering to himself.
Then he drew out the pocket book and
emptied it, putting the roll of bills into
his trousers pocket. With the wallet
in his hand, he walked on till he came
to an ash barrel, into which he dropped
it and then fastened away.
About every fourth block he stopped
at some restaurant, drinking and taking
a bite at each. but his liquor seemed al
yet to have no effect on him. Toward
evening, however, he became-not, in