River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1883-07-12
TRAMpING FOR THIRTY.sIX YEARS.

My wife viii be enchanted to make her ac
quaintance."
TRAPPING FOR THIRTY.SIX YEARS.
The story of Traveller who II 5soiFed Never
to Pay For "a Meal or Ride.
From the New York Sun.
A tramp attracted attention on road
| street, Newark, recently. His figure was
short and squat, his cheeks plump and ro-
sy, and his twinkling grey eyes were keen
and deep~set. He had white plug hat
! that had seen years of hard service, but
ternut coat and trousers, grey WOODEN coat
and stout shoes. As he sauntered past the
| well dressed pedestrians he twirled q stout
cafe III lis Agh. hand, htimmed The
White Cockade" in low voice, and inspec-
! leu Inc g1,;, is in the shop windows. To a
person who stopped to question him nv
said that no was & hati1s of Rutland. VT.
andlwas ca years old. He had heen wan
derer for thirty-six years, having failed in
love and business when he vas 81 years
old, sinos That lime he has Sisithd every
state in the union. He said that he had
never drank glass of intoxicating liquor.
1--WE been a tramp all these years because
like the life" said the, old man, and
expect to die cite. Defo+G the yar ! found
the south the most hospitable part of the
country. Planters were open hearted and
generous. They gave me old clothes and
never interfered with me. At one time /
took care of sick folks in New Orleans, and
left the city with over 500 in my pocket.
But soon got rid of the money on Mis-
sissippi steamboat The slaves were SIM
pie and good injured, and never called at
a cabin without getting corncake, bacon,
and shelter. When began tramping de-
termined never 10 pay for meal or ride,
either on a train or boat, and have stuck
to it. I've beat my way many thousands
Of miles in the United States and Canada.
During the war vas camp hummer with
Thomas, Buell., Grant, and Sherman, but
never enlisted. Tnmping was high life
Just after the war, but of late years
it has been rough People are afraid
of a tramp because wicked men have out
ragged iecency. / keep clear of them al
ways going it alone. No tramps can get
me for partner. I've bunked in police
stations in every city and town of any size.
Philadelphia and Baltimore are this wofst
Places for usj New York Boston, and Chi
cago the best. The New England towns
now are bitter against tramps. Nine out
of ten tramps are thieves and ruff ms.
They will lie, steal, and commit terrible
outrages. l never went hungry. will
work for food any time, but won't work for
money. They call me The Great Ameri-
can Tramp and | say that Daniel Pratt
amt no more than tramp. I've been
over more ground than he has. My name
is Ezra Freedom. My father vas farmer,
and nay mother q schoolmarm. I've never
seen them since | left home, thirty. two
years ago.
How many miles do you estimate you
have travelled without paying yoat way7"
"Well, Ill just figure it mp as near as /
can, was the reply, "and guess 1t will
ostonish you. I've been thirty siL years on
lie road, There are 3G5 dfys ina year. /
was never sick a.day since began this feie.
Some days I've beat my way over 209 mills
in cars. Freight trains are tho best racket.
When | got stuck in hard town / sold
pencils until ] raised enough money to buy
rum and cigars for the braL emen, conduct
ors, and engineers. They seldom refuse
such things. Now, taking all things into
account, think fair estimate of my daily
travel i'll all these years woald be about
sixteen miles. There are 3G5 Jays in year
which would make 10, l40 in thirty six
years. Now, let us throw OFF. the odd 14U
days, in order to keep within bounds.
That leaves t3, 600 days, at sixteen miles
day, which makes 208, 900 mibs that have
travelled on foot and in railroad cars, boats,
and wagon, without paying AGENT in cash.
I'll bet no other matt living can
say ad much. / never felt better
in my life. There il not an
ache or pain in my body, I'm healthier
than men who keep mutiied up and sit by
the fire. In police stations keep away
from the fires in the coolest weather. Coal
gas is poison. Fresh air is natures medi-
cine for the lungs. Cold wafer is better
than hot tea and flee. 1t don't bring on
dyspepsia or dysentery. Everything eat
agrees with me. In the Summertime
battle in river or pond, eve,y day, and il
cold weather I've stripped and washed my
self ont of doors. Take cold? No, sir,
never;had a cough or chill. Leave your
neck open and free, and you'll. never catch
cold, if yonr feet are dry end warm. I've
m ade it a point TO always Lave stout par
shoes on my feet with cotton stockings
You see I've got the thing down to tine
point Many young men kill themselves
with liquor after they begin tramping.
"How have you escaped being sent to
jail, and why don't you get in poor
house?"
1--WE spent ten days at tine in seven
teen different iails, but goi sent up on
purpose to escape Usually colo weather.
never stole and never insqIted anybody.
As to going to poorhouse, would rather
commit suicide. 1t would be better than
slow death on tnush and pauper's abuse.
No poorhouse for ME. I'm off to New
York to- night, and | know how to live
there. This will make the seventh winter
I've struck that town. The men there buy
lead pencils and other trash to get rid of
fellow, and I've had them throw me
dime or a quarter. I'm getting too old to
tramp much in the cold, and mean to
take it easier hereafter. 1 once asked Gen.
Grant for help. He glared at ME as if |
was snake. Sherman is ireer. Horace
Greeley never looked at wha he gave me.
Raymond was pretty good, Jim Bennett
is better than his old dad. Jim Blaine
never gives a tramp cent That's what
al the FOUNDERS say. I'll try luck in New
York. Good day, and thankee for the cof-
fee."