National Republican., 1883-08-28
WANDERING WILLIE
Gets Enough Of Playing the Tramp and
AbandOns the Road.
Incidents OF Hts Iomewsrd Journey as
Far ms Alexandria.
Spscih Lllier.


of tramp Taking it for granted that they
can, will FIRE of another screod, outlining
the events of my journey from Warrenton to
this place, and also take occasion to announce
my retirement from the road. My experience
has been limited but amply instructive, and
am prepared TO furnish "pointers"
to amateurs at moderate rates. After
forwarding my former letter to
you from Warrenton l concluded
TO take short cut across tho country and re-
turn to Washington, so Friday morning after
a good breakfast and with the blessing Of the
Oldest inhabitants l shook the dust of War
rcnton from my sandals and hied me away.
| was early morning when struck the rail
way track The town was still partly
wrapped in slumber. At the depot picture
of perfect peace was presented Some geese
and ducks were sailing in dignifed silence
over o pond of green, frog spittled, coated
water. Three negroes slopt in the
glare of the morning sun on a
pile of bags Of guano, and an old
woman smelling strongly of onions skirted
the bitches adjacent to the railroad track,
gathering punches of sweet smelling mint for
the morning juleps of the aristocrats of this
quaint old town. The scene grew strikisgly
beautiful as gradually left the town behind.
On the right hand was q rich cloud of foliage
princely trees standing up in their battalions
under the warm August sky; and on the other
tho sweet, wild fields bursting forth
in purple blaze Of foliage, all
belted and broken with the monastic gloom
of the pine woods and inehable blue distances
of the wilder country. l fell in love with the
insignificant rural place. and my soul seemed
to melt TO the great, broad, delicious green
ness of shadows in the forest; and was held
in an ecstacy in that sweet lapse of all sense
and thought into which nature sometimes
| surprises us, when all at once, without any
suspicion on our part of which she is about,
she throws herself open to us, and holds
out her tender arms. This was very
| pretty, and calculated to inspire a poem,
but before could fairly start an effort in
that direction my musings were interrupted
| by woman's cries of distress issuing from q
farm house q few hundred yards distant
fastening to the house l found sweet
faced, gray haired matron weeping and wiring
| ing her hands in the doorway, and saw sew
eral farm hands fastening to tho scene.
Though my love Of adventure was thwarted
in its not being a sensational event. | was
nevertheless panied to learn that the good
ladys grief was caused by the death of her
husband. 1t was only one of these every day
domestic afllictions, but even tramp's
soul can be moved to pity some time, and l
| fingered around there several hours, render
|
the dead man in his shroud. His was but the
wreck of u once sturdy frame. He had been
ill long time, and his family were worn and
weary with their continual watching at his
bedside. But, as the sun arose that morning
announcing the advent of another day, day
full of promise and happiness, the boat OF
sleep, gentle wind of life and birth filling
its sails, bore, swiftly gliding, the suffering
pilgrim across the faint border of
the mysterious hereafter. 1t was
with a sad heart that left that scene and
trudged on. passed beautiful fields of wav-
ing corn, and was frequently saluted by ma
tives to the manor born, and saw here and
there typical Virginians astride fence rails
enjoying the succulent corn cob pipes, and
apparently Illuminating over the political out.
| look. 1ti remarkable, but nevertheless fact
that every other Virginian il an enthusiastic
politician, though perhaps On the verge OF
starvation. They have no time from politics
| to devote to other work, and They'll
''see you id first" to quote favorite
expression with many, before they will
either lease or sell you their land for cultiva-
tion. l met many of this poor but proud
class on my rambles, and confess that 1
couldn't understand them. l was more
favorably impressed with them, however,
| than with rich 'squatter" from the north
whose place l visited en- route. l met this
person first at n crossroads store, not FAR from
| Warrenton Junction. He was tall and slim
of figure with face whose utter smoothness
would have been the despair of mer-
ccnary barber. His large cars,
jutting from n bullet shaped head, gave to
this head at u little distance away the look of
some odd, unclassic amphora. He spoke very
Indifferent English and seemed to keep the
last caprice of slang in glib readiness as n
tradesman will keep his newest goods VIII ere
he can soonest reach them. His talk was
continually Of his money, and it seemed to
delight him to tell the price of his big
wearing apparel. He possessed in truth,
all the cardinal vugarities, and was
lavishly conceited. He struck me rs
truly an abominable creature and fair
sample of that horrible progeny now infect
ing America, growing up like mushrooms,
resultant from two forces, each dangerous
enough by ITSELF but both deadly when they
meet-wealth and ignorance. Such men, 1
have been informed, form the ajority of tho
new element of capitalists who have rapidly
settled on the aristocratic and historical soil
of old Virginia since the war of the
rebellion. My heart bled for the old states
pride when I learned that fact. l am
tramp though, and perhaps have
no right to an opinion. The last half of my
journey from Warrenton to Alexandria was
accomplished by the aid of ride on a cattle
train. l met very few brother tramps, and
fell in with no very interesting adventures
ON the road. l was very tired, however,
when / reached here, and joyiully accepted
the hospitality of an old friend, who has in
duced me to retire from the road with the
honors | have won, and to seek once more q
proper station in society. l shall make the
effort, and hope your readers will wish a sue
Ce2sful future for WANDERING WILLIE.