The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1878-08-28
Painting Tramps.

Painting Tramps.
"It is all very we'll to say that tramps
are wretches who deserve no help, but
don't believe it. The tramp is man, or
woman, as the case may be. He IS
poor, and it stands to reason that he is
often hungry and more or less naked.
Now am not goi:g to turn any naked.
hungry wretch from nv door without
feeding him, and if every body would do
the same the world would be all the bet
ter for it, fA'a Y. N.I~
These were, in substance, words recent
ly spoken by Mr.. Elisha Hawkins, who
had Just moved into Mooseville, N. Y.
and rented DR.. Hallett's new house near
the Methodist meeting house. Mr.. Haw-
Rms had come from region in the
Northern part of the State where the
tramp has not yet penetrated, and he
knew nothing of the real character of
that pest. Why he took up his residence
IN Mooseville need not be here set forth.
though it might be mentioned that he
held mortgage on DR.. Hallett's house.
and had bought it in at a ridiculously
low figure under foreclosure sale. That
ne was a kind-hearted. unsoph1sticated
Old gentleman, was evident to eve.y one
who met him, and the Mooseville people
were. glad that the house, which had 50
long lacked tenant, was at last occu-
pied by one who promised to be re-
spected citizen. --'e' Z. go :.
On the second night after Mr.. Hawkins
had made use2 of the language herein
above quoted, his front-door bell was sud-
denly rung. It was about nine O'Clock
IN the evening, and Mr.. Hawkins was
doing in his chair while his wife was
going over the wash" and laying aside
such garments as needed repairing. Mr..
Hawkins first wondered to some extent
who could be at the front door, and final
~ decided that if he answered the RING
he might peohaps find out. He accord
ingly took up the lamp and went to the
door, whence he hurriedly returned and
called his wife to come and help him
bring in poor woman who was either
dead or in faint. Mrs. Hawkins prompt
answered the appeal, and, with the help
CT her husband, lifted up thin and thin
~ clad woman, who was lying on the
front piazza, and carried her to the sitting
room scta. The woman was raleI nd un-
conscious, though strong, rudy tint
showed that life still fingered in the ex
tremity of her nose. A glass of wine wa
forced c1 between her lips, and her hands
and arms were .enderly rubbed Under
these ministrations she gradually re-
gained consciousness just in time to grasp
bottle that was slipping from her pocket,
with view of smashing itself on the
floor. I'll ~ .... ,
The stranger, after wildly calling her
"husband, ''father," 'sprecious baby"
ana some more miscellaneous relatives.
asked where she was, and why she had
not been allowed 10 die. She then ex-
planned that she was poor but honest
woman, whose husband was dead. and
whose only child was lying at the point
OF. death at East Venice, the next station
on the Mooseville railroad. She was on
her way, to see her child die, and, having
no money, was compelled to walk. She
had already walked for fifteen consecu-
tive days, during which time she had
eaten nothing. but two apples and a raw
turnip. The bottle in her pocket con-
tanned, as she was told, either whisky or
brandy, and had been given to her by a
good doctor when she started on her
tramp, but her temperance principles did
not allow her to taste it, although she had
kept it as the gift Of good, kind friend.
Imagining that she was about to die, she
had rung Mr.. Hawkins's front door bell.
in order, to ask leave to die on his piazza.
but his kindness had so revived her that
she felt strong enough to reach East Ven
Ice II some one would only give her fifty
cents wherewith to pay her car fare Mr..
Hawkins and his wife were deeply
touched. They gave the woman an ex-
cellent supper and a good bed In the
morning Mrs. Hawkins gave her supply
OF clothing, and Mr.. Hawkins gave her
i've dollars. Her gratitude was profuse,
and as she departed to take the train to
her dying child's bedside, Mr.. Hawkins
felt that all that he had said in behalf of
tramps was fully justified. During the
day he mentioned the matter to few
acquaintance, and repeated his declara-
ton that he would never turn distressed
tramp from his door. 5.&@ 3
! II. at night the front door bell rang at
about 10 80, and Mr.. Hawkins got out of
bed and went down stairs in sleepy
but still benevolent frame of mind. He
found three tramps two of them women
and the other a man---lying UNCONSCIOUS
on his piazza. He dragged them into
the hall, revived them with VINE. and
having listened to their pitiful stories
concerning their dying children in the
next town, fed them and sent them away.
He did not, however, give them any
money. for although he believed their
stories, he felt that the volume of tramps
was becoming rather TOO large for his
! purse. Still he returned to his bed feel
ing that he had done his duty, and that
his quiet conscience stood in need of a
good deal Of sleep. Between 10 80 and
1915 seven more tramps rang the 'front.'
door bell, and were found by Mr.. Haw-
k kin, lying in seven distinct dead faints
on the piazza. Five he relieved, and
4 then lost his temper. The last two
tramps had to revive themselves, and the
4 three additional ones that tainted on the
piazza between six and eight the next
morning did not receive even a mouth
full Of cold breakfast. ls,s,si q fs
a great change was noticedrsin Mr..
Il Hawkins when he appeared at Whitman's
| store early in the day, and bought half a