The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1880-01-07
Two Yranps.

Two Yramps.
! know two tramps.
1as knew q man, now a tramp, when he
was spruce dandiied clerk.
Few people are familiar with the OH
gin of the tramp. Generally their source
is wrapped in mystery. It rs now the
duty Of good citizens to give all the ac-
curate information possible repardinp
the tramps with whose career thew NAV
have been familiar; It must be suppressed
and if possible, nipped in the bud. To
nip vagrancy in the bud requires an ac-
cumulation of personal knowledge com
ing from many individuals concerning
the rise and progress of the tramp.
In 1910 this tramp was my school-fel-
low. We were co-natives of Long
Island village. He was few years nv
senior, and blossomed into adolescence,
tight boot, stand-up collar, fancv
ties and girl much sooner than did.
At eighteen this future tramp drank
liquor and in winter time recreated him
self with midnight sleighing and oyster
suppers at certain tavorite resorts few
miles from the village
Many other young men of the place
were also frequently in the saloons. They
too drank rum for rum was more popu-
lar than at present. hired fast horses and
with their girls INDUCED in midnight
sleighings and oyster suppers. But thew
have not become tramps. Even now
they drink liquor in moderation. Some
are leading men in the community.
In 1S48 the present tramp secured a
position as clerk IN New York. He proved
capable and competent and was soon pro-
NOTED both as to pay and position. Once
year he revisited his native village and
created sensation by his city cut clothes
and tall white silk hat.
In 1854 the tramp was engaged in
fiourshing and growing business in the
vicinity of Catherine Ferry. 1 was then
clerk in the city and passed my even
! ings in his Store. I think the tramp at
| this time lived up to the full measure
O. his income and possibly surpassed it.
But he had a doting and well-to-d do faith
er who must have made good all defci-
encies.
Then came a long interregnum. For
fifteen years was thousands of miles
away from this metropolis. In 1868 I
4 AASssAN ~ VI lAC Cld1up do 1OIculdSG udQU
on whaler. He had become very in
temperate. His business was broken up,
and leaving a wife at home he had gone
upon the face of the deep.
| Returning to my native village in 1871
found the tramp keeping a sammer
clearinghouse. He had returned from
sea and friends had put him on his feet
again. 1t was thought that his reform
was permanent. I heard no more Of him
tor four years. Passing along South street
one morning some one called my name.
Out of group of 'longshoremen came a
seedy-looking man with we'll frayed trou-
ser-bottoms. looked him full in the face
but did not recognize him. He told me
his name. I was astonished. After a
moment or. two something of the old look
came out on his face. But he seemed to
have shrunk and his youth was all dried
out of him. 81"
A few months later I heard that the
tramp had been seen at a very early
morning hour by fellow townsman and
former schoolmate on Broadway, from
whom he asked the loan of few cents,
which were given with a bit of advice
thrown in gratis to the effect that he
would profit the community by going
down to the nearest pier and drowning
himself. But he did not drown himself
in water. .t "
In the summer of 1877 business re
quired my presence in a secluded village
in the interior of the State. Another
school-mate of mine resided there. was
his guest. To my surprise he told me
that few weeks previous, the tramp, in
a most discreditable external condition,
had, to his establishment and horror, pre-
sented himself at his door, and on the
score of auld lang syne asked for any as
sistance he might be disposed to give.
II could not receive him in nv house. y
said he. II gave him some money. He
went to the village, caroused at a low
GROCERY, slept in an empty freight car
that night, returned to the pot-house in
the morning, made disturbance, was ar
rested, put in Jail, and finally set adr1ft
with an injunction never to return thith-
err"
These are few of the scattered tracks
of one tramp. There is but one conclusion.
Rum did tor rather the lack of control
over rum-1 have heard nothing of the
tramp since. He may be still on his tray
els; he may have reformed; he may be
dead
1t may be safe to assume that his case is
parallelcd by that Of one-half of our Ma
tlonal tramps. The question arises. Are
such people fit to be trusted to them.
selves and what shall we do with them?
know of one more tramp. He is still
a young man and brother to distin-
guished writer. Yeas ago he was resi-
dent of large Western city and held
there responsible position. He became
dlssipated, was implicated in rather
crooked transaction, lost his place, drank
to excess, lost every thing, and was at
last accounts an unmitgated, genuine
tramp.
| The evidence here afforded is not very
favorable as means of creating sympa-
thy for the tramp collectively save with
the comparative few who regard the
drunkard as a victim OF diseased appe-
tite. It is rather difficult also to ascer.
tain how much such men really suffer
from sense Of their degradation, because
one man is not the measure of another in
this respect. The extremely sensitive