Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-02-17
a Interesting Tramn.
= = \ T q II y
Waldo Messar0s in Phi7aae19bi9 n

Waldo Aessar0s in PhHadezDhia can.
lie was very shabby, very lank and
very thin-so thin that the muscles of
his neck stood out boldly, making it look
like fiddle ready strung. Before | could
address him he was standing before me.
stih and straight as veteran before his
superior officer.
rs your name NJ"
Yes, sir. What can do for you?,'
''What do you think | look like?''
well, l can't say exactly, not having
ANYTHING just now in my mind for COM
parison.
Don't you think l look like a shabby
genteel clerk%'
Eyes; | think you described your APP
pearance eXcellently."
'Well, that look comes from nv wear
ing this paper collar. / hate to look dirty.
and can't look exactly clean, so l wear
this collar and that keeps me just dirty
clean, shabby-genteel, you know; but per-
haps you won't believe me when | tell YOU
that this collar has nearly been the death
of me-"
Icy is that? Tell me about it."
''Well, you see, / ask people for few
cents to get something to eat, and they
look at me and see this collar, and say,
why you are respectable; you don't need
food;' and have to go hungry, while a
fellow with dirty face and shirt and no
collar would get enough to eat and to
drink, too, by asking for it. But I'm not
going to give up the collar; it's the only
tie that binds me to society. Pm like a
dog, you know; put collar on him, and
no matter how ugly helooks he belongs to
somebody; take it off and everybody will
kick him-he's nobedy's dog"
"Well, have you no money!"
Eyes; Pye got some money-Pve got
four cents. suppose you think four
cents Of very little yaluey"
ut Will buy two postage stamps"
sit will do more than that. Tll give
you wrinkle. If you ever get down to
four cents just lay it out on stale rolls.
They have got more hang on in them than
anything YOU ever ate in your life Are
you marriedT'
''Well?"
I'll you are, perhaps, you've found out
how bad it is.;'
"Have your"
Il should think l had. You see 1 put
together a little money and bought
farm. Then | kept on saving till it
mounted up to $4,000. Then fellow that
| knew came along and talked me into
Juying Oil stock, and soon | found that
my stock was good for nothing, and |
guess my wife thought | was no better
than the stock. So l burned the stock
and my wife bounced me: said she could
manage the farm well enough. 1t was in
her name, you see. So I started for the
city and worked at wood-carying on
Cherry street till my eyes gave out, and I
kept on trying my luck at this and that
till | came down to what you see me, hun
CRY as Esau and living three days on the
dignity of paper collar"
what do you propose to do next?"
Il came to see if you couldn't help me
get money enough to go back to my wife
near Pittsburg. She can't lift me off the
farm-Pm too heavy yet. She can't shoot
me, because Pm worth something in the
eye of the law. SoIpropose just to forage
on that farm till my eyes get better and |
can go to wood-carving again. l hate to
do it, but you see I've turned this collar
once, and where the next ones to come
from | can't guess"
With little effort that tramp was
helped home, and he is doubtless now for
aging on his wite's farm. Long me he
forage,