Daily Kennebec journal., 1884-02-22

PropLE. AD MAKES 7aE GRocERfMAS
WISH He Was DEADs
..come in come h. = sid the grocery
man to the bad boYs - he stopped on the
doorstep outside tse gsDcery to 60 down
in his pistol pocket 46f "a little change for
tramp that had come out of the grocery
inst ahead of the grpcergman's boot.
"Come right n, and deuY stand there
talking with such cattle, - And the grocery
man looked as mad az though he:had left
the spigot of the molasses barrel running
what tie matter with you?'' said the
bad bov. as he watched the tramp 60 into
a bakery and come out with loaf of bread.
and 90 off chewing the end of it as though
it was the sweetest morsel . white man
ever put atoo.h into. and the smile the
tramp showed on one aide OF the bread as
he saluted the bad boy through the win
dow was worth dollar to the boy. You
seem to have got out of the wrong end OF
the bed this morning. What ais you?"
"Oh. tn, tramps. and beggars. and sub
scriptions. and games to beat an honest
man out of his hard earned money" said
the groceryman. as he threw hatchet on
the floor with which he had been splitting
up a box, and kicked market basket
across the room. There is not day but
some one comes in here after money. Why
don't these tramps go to work Why
don't people that haven't got any money
90 to the poor house? Why don't sick
people go to the hospitals? Condemn it.
have had people come in here for help
for the old ladies' home. and the old mems
home, and to sell ball tickets to help peo-
10 ,bat hava haoy nd ha nnad tiil hnna
may never see another person asking for
help as long 81 live." s-s'-'aaai
.'And you never would see another per-
son asking for. help or coming TO buy
any of your old decayed goceries. if they
knew what kind of a hard hearted old
pirate you was Why, blast your old
vinegar countenance, you haven't got
heart bigger than mustard seed" said
the boy. as he picked up the hatchet for
fear the groceryman would split him for
kindling wood. ..-- re-. ~.
Yes | have said the groceryman.
and he appeared a little ashamed of what
he had said .'my heart is all right, but
they play it on me. The o'her day gave
tramp five cents to buy bread, and he
went and bought glass of beer at tree
lunch place That made me mad ~ f7=s
well. bread. plain dry bread, is pref
tv dry eating. How would you like to go
out on sidewalk and gnaw dinner off a
loaf of dry bread The tramp knew his
business He could 20 to a saloon with
that nickel and buy glass of beer as
though he had a bushel of money. and
while he was drinking it he could go to
the lunch counter and get sausage, and
rye bread and head cheese, and liver, and
cold ham, all for nothing. If you had
only nickle left, and had full-siZed
stomach, perfectly empty, which would
YOU do, stand out on a cold corner and
chew bread, with no water nearer than
the lake. or would you 90 into nice warm
saloon, buy glass of beer and have big
dinner thrown in for chrome. BY gosh,
you would go to the saloon. and you would
make the lunch counter look sick. No
body else keeps warm place for tramps
to eat free lunches by buying five cents
worth of goods, and tramp would be
fool if he didn't take advantage of such
chance. when the thermometer is 80 de-
grees below zero.'
Il swow. I don't know but what you
are right. Hennery," said the grocery
man. with forced smile. "I guess I
would paralyze that lunch. But man
has no business to be q tramp. Why don't
they 60 to work."
"Work? Why dont't you give one of
them work? Nobody has any work for
tramp. A tramp may be son of men,
ber of Congress. but if he has been on
the turf until he bad to pawn his clothes,
one article after another, to keep from
starving, and looks hard, you don't want
him. He may be more honest than you
are. and better educated. but his clothes
are thin, and he looks seedy. and cold and
hungry. and hasn't got any money. You
do not stop to think that he may be
thoroughbred. You fire him out, and he
gets so he thinks there isn't man in the
world with a soul. If he steals it is to
keep him from starving. and not to lay up
money. like some grocers."
Hold on there. boy. I don't steal
much. said the groceryman. "But trsmps
are all right enough. These old peoples
homes, where old men and women are
kept in idleness, is what makes me tired
Why don't they go and live with their
folkse"
"Well. you are smart Aleck." said the
boy. why don't they live with their
folks9 That is good. Do you suppose
these old people would go to charitable
home if they had one of their own.
They have ontlived relatives and
friends who would take care of them,
and go to the home. where kind hearted
strangers make the last days of their
lives as happy rs possible, and they de-
pend upon what they can get from peo-
pie who have hearts. to pay their ex-
penses. and it is not often that any per-
son with soul kicks at little contri-
button towards banking up the stomachs
of the old people who have been pioneers
when the country was new. Many of
these old people. whom you find FAULT with
for being old and poor. were rich and re-
spected when you were poor and ignorant,
and it is possible you may be closed out
by your creditors some day and have to 90
to a poor house. and then you can appre-
ciate it when some other blasted skinfiint
refuses to contribute to your support. But
you win not be troubled any more by peo-
pie calling for aid. for shall have a sign
painted and nailed up on the corner say
ing there is no use of any person in need
4 Al.