Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1878-05-21
Five Dollars per Annun

puI W Oeg ana tramp.
"By 3d." said one, elf you
have no better luck than I've had
you'll starve."
"Starye be id" said another.
"Ye bet yer life l don't starye so
long as other people have anything
to eat"
"Nor l." added several others,
and the gang, the rain ceasing,
moved on up the railroad, separat-
ing into parties of two, some to
wander all night, and Others to find
rest in hay-stacks and corn-shocks.
These were representative men of
the grand army of idle humans,
who are wandering over the coun-
try looking for work, and who bid
fair to soon, under bad advisers,
plunge the country into untold
horrors.
Selecting as my companion the
carpenter with whor4 | had first
become acquainted, we walked aim
lessly up the Marietta aud Cincin-
natl railroad, and on reaching the
corporate limits of the town he sud
denly turned to me and said /:
What would you do if wife and
children were hungry and you had
nothing with which to feed them ?"
! answered that | could not tell,
as was fortunate in not having
children to care for.
"Well," he continued, "I would
rob, and if need be murder, to get
them the wherewith to live"
The fierce earnestuess with which
these words were spoken only too
well reflected the feelings Of the
majority of the men who are now
tramping. We had walked prob
ably mile when we came on a
party of three men who were break.
ing some boards torn from a fence.
their purpose being to make fire.
My companion and myself Joining
them we moved down a ravine Just
off the railroad and soon had a
bright fire going, around which we
gathered, warm and comfortable,
barring the wants of the inner
man. There was but one topic of
conversation, and that was the
times and when they were to change
for the better. The hope of secur-
ing work had apparently banished
and in its place had grown a reck-
less regard for the rights of prop.
erty which made these men iii
tools for the devils who are engi.
neering the coming ruin of Cincin-
natl and other cities. We're it moi
for personal fear, give it as my
honest conviction that arson, mur-
der and robbery would be of nightly
occurrence, and in every direction
instead of as now only occasionally.
The conversation of these men
led me to believe that all of them
had q very clear idea of what was
going or in the cities, and that they
stood ready to supplement- whatever
the communists of the cities might
do. The midnight growing Of d
foolish rooster gave us notice that
the succulent pullet was not far
away, and two of the men volun.
teered to go on a tour of observa-
ton, which proved such a grand
success that in a little while they
returned, bearing the headless
trunks of two rather ancient look.
ing hens. The cleaning process
was rather primitive, but success.
ful, and soon each man of us was
broiling a piece of chicken on a
forked stick before the fire. Chicken
is good, but without salt or bread
or condiments, / have in the Burnet
sat down to more delicious repasts
After supper your correspondent
propped himself against a tree, and
| for the balance of the night rumi-
mated on the pleasures Of tramp
life, and from philosophical stand.
point attempted to reason himself
into the belief that he was "per-
fectIy happy" Morning came at
last, and with daylight the usual
cold rain set in. My carpenter
friend and myself again took up
our line Of march toward Marietta
and about seven o'clock turned into
a farm house, where he asked fol
something to eat. A woman came
to the door, who looked as if she
had been shot out Of a gun, and
curtly told us to be gone. they had
nothing for tramps.
From the fierce look that came
into my companions face, l was
fearful he would strike the woman
to his feet, but turning away he
walked off, and he muttered, "Food
and plenty everywhere, while we
must beg to live"
an tell you," said he, "the man
that lives in that house, if trouble
does begin, will wish he had never
, been born"
"Trouble," replied, "what trou.
BILE do you refer to?"
4" Don't you know ?" said he.
Processing profound ignorance.
my knight of the jackplane went
on to state that it was generally
understood and talked among the