The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1885-07-31
TIE TRANP,S NEW SCHEME.
How Ne Makes a Living at "Family Gather
ings.'

he hand. The voice was falntly Ia
nillar and the speaker, who was de-
GENTLY dressed. though evidently not
particular about harmonious colors or
perfect tit, had a slouchy movement
hat indefinitely recalled some person
lie had met. The man smiled and
irawled out, 81 thought you wouldn't
know me; don't you remember a
couple of winters ago when you'd be
,omin' out of that printin' office over
here, how you used to stop and 'buz'
ne about what you called the noble
trmy of tramps? l don't forget you,
Iir. for when you'd get through talkin'
you'd put up for coilee and cakes, and
more than once for lodgin'. I'd be
cal glad if you'd go and have "a
schooner or cigar or suthin' with me.
IN fixed" said he, pulling out a
handful of coin and bills, land would
ike to set 'em up"
The reporter declined, but upon
Ealing to mind the emaciated, dilapi-
lated tramp he had once known, was
iorced to inquire how so marked a
change of condition had come about.
'Well,' said he, IF you won't give
t away I'll tell you-though | don't
ARE if you do, for l am going west on
he same lay. For the past two years
I've been working the family gather
ngs--those folks, you know. who adj
%5ertise for everybody of their name to
meet at some n place to chin about
themselves and have a picnic.
''You see, one day last summer |
vas KILN time readin' Il newspaper
I'd found when l run across II of
.hese meetin's. Well, it must have
)een-must have been-what is't that
.ives them poets a steerP"
''Inspiration9" suggested the re-
porter.
Eyes, that's 1t, 1t must have been
hat; for all of Il sudden suthin' SAID:
That's the racket for you, my boy,
10 make believe you're n of the
rang!' You see, before l got way
lowp where | was when you first saw
ne l used to 'supe' around theaters;
hat made me think how easy 'twould
,e for one of them actors to put up
uch a job. Well, the first lot / tackled
vas on a big farm up the North river.
: got a piece of blue pencil, made an
lnchor on my wrist, and put their
lame under it, so rs to look like In
liza ink, you know. | had On a sail
IRIS blue flannel shirt when | went on
he grounds. There | told 'em l had
llways follered the sea, and had lately
lad hard luck; had read about the
neetin' and come to see if | knew any
body of my name.
''Well. they're always jolly and free
It these places; so they asked NE to
est myself, and raised me some better
clothes than l had on: after that We
lad some bully grub. walked around
ind answered questions as well as |
could. Now and then, when no one
vas lookin,' some good old maid
would come up, unloch her satchel,
ind slip a dollar or two in my hand.
I've been goin' from one place to an
other, summer and fall, ever since. |
keep the run of 'em by the papers and
what | hear around, and | get plenty
If good buds and lots of cash. l play
he sailor dodge most always. Some
lines l fix up, but it isn't a good
way, for they expect you to chin two
much.
..Say, if ever you go on this racket,
ct me give you the straight tip; don't
De fresh, don't talk more'n you can
lelp; let them do the chinin'. Imade
| mistake that way where l was last
week. l was gettin' along frst-rate,
lad been there two days. At lunch
lnder the trees the last afternoon an
I'D lady squinted at me through her
specs for a while, and said 1 put her in
mind of Ike who went out west some
1ears ago to see some cousins who
we're not known out this way. Well,
( was fool enough to say | belonged to
he western branch, as they called it,
ind remembered Ike That settled
t; they all soured on me at once, and
found that the western blokes had
rot Ike a drinkin' aud gamblin',
md that branch of the family was look
I'd at as N. &. So, l didn't get a rake
hat time.
"Another thing; don't take in any
,olks with long highfalutin names,
With de or van to 'em; they generally
lave their families down fine
md you'll get left sure; better
70 for the Smiths, Thompsons, or
Browns.
Zone time down east though, |
struck a swell crowd and got a good
stake when ! thought I'd no show at
al. A big chap with diamond studs
saw me and asked me what L was
ioin'' there! l gave him a ghost sto-
" about lookln' for my relations. And
I'm blamed if he didn't shake hands
With me and said he'd help me look
EN- up. Then he took me a little to
one side ard asked me if I'd do him a
favor? He said he'd left Boston with
out sending an important telegram,
iidn't like to leave the party, would
[ oblige him by goIn' to Boston,
sendin' the telegram, and
waitin' for an answerP Wait
said he, If it takes you all
day He handed me a twenty-dollar
Dill and a railroad ticket. Well L did
The errand, waited a good while, no
answer came, and then | tumbled to
it!-Yes, sir, just as you say. l was
paid, like the organ-grinder, to GO
away! But, don't you see, even
that beats getting bounced from
a f~ree-lunch counter, like IN OLD
times. ehP
s.But come" and here the tramp SO
earnestly urged the acceptance OF the