Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1882-02-14
'rwoULD mAKs Hrs TOO TIRED.

The reporter was taking his night lunch in
popular restaurant. when there entered the
room rather hungry looking, but by no
means seedy, Individual. He was young,
and appeared to be able to get away with
good days work without injury to his physi-
cal being. He came up to the proprietor's
desk with confidence in his tones but not a
cent in his hand, as he frankly confessed.
He wanted good. square meal, and had no
money; could the man of chops accomme-
date him
Certainly; he made it point to DO so
in all such cases; but he mad an invariable
rule regarding such matters, and it must be
complied with.
'.And what was that rule ?" inquired the
hungry man.
II require that every man who wants to
eat here shall either pay or work. If You
want square meal turn in and help the boys
mop up the back dining-room."
"Can have all / want TO eat, il / do p
"Oh, yes; stuff as full as you please l
have no limit for a hungry man."
But can't eat first ?"
mot by long sight l have had enough
of that, my friend. l am about as soft
hearted as the general run; but you see L
have found out it don't do to tie too closely
to human nature. us very deceitful, and
want to know man about twelve or fifteen
thousand years before I trust him fer the price
of meal on the belief that he will work it
out after he gets his load in. No; you work
first, eat afterward. No work, no eat
You see, my strange friend, that am the
same cussed fool that got himself into the
RECORD UNION a couple of months ago, by
trusting man who looked to be just as hon.
est as you do, and that's about as honest as
hungry man generally looks, and it always
moves me, it does That fellow was to peel
keg Of potatoes for his supper. What do you
think he did do? Don't know? Well guess
not. He peeled what appeared to be key
full, got supper into him for it that would
have lasted an ordinary man week, and
then lit out. Well there was just one layer
of peeled potstoe s on the top Of that keg of
spuds, and all the rest of the sroundapples
had thei- dirty jackets on. Now, no more
potato peeling. but if you want to sling a
mop awhile for meal, why say 50.
The hungry stranger agreed. The restau-
rant man drew two buckets of hot water
from the boiler, got out q healthy looking
mop, pumped bar of soap into each bucket,
tossed out wiping-rag for cleaning the
"spatter" off the mop-board, and beckoned
to the tramp to begin. The man looked on
while the preparations were being made, and
when all was ready drew on his coat, which
he had half withdrawn, and buttoning up to
the throat, turned toward the door as be said
In measured tones
g guess not; L am right hungry, for l
haven't had meal 10 forty-eight hours, but
1 guess not; I've walked thirty miles to-day,
and am right hungry, but I guess don't
want to mop any floor tonight" And then
be made off before the chop. house keeper
could get in word. Three minutes after
wards regular customer came in and began
to tell:
:" met queer specimen out here on the
walk. He was asking every one who went
by for quarter to get himself square meal.
l told him to come in here and he could get
one for little work, and what did he reply.
do you thiHk? He said, DO you think
am fool, clear through? Do l look like
one? have walked thirty miles to-day, and
am half starved haven't got cent-not a
crumb of soda cracker; but that TELLER in
there took me for a greeny. DO you think
after walking thirty miles for meal I'm 60
ing to skirmish around on an old heor with a
mop fer an hour for one at this time o. night,
and then have to rastle all around town till
daylight to strike quarter to get bed with?
No, sir it would make me too tired"
Just then the reporter came out from his
lunch, and by the CLEAN of his eye the dough.
nut and coffee man knew he had heard all.
"Ah, got another item, you think, on me.
Well, may it do you good; but look here,
mister, if you jam this into your paper l
promise you I'll just break your neck short
of"