Connecticut western news., 1885-03-04
GENTEEL, BUT A TRAMP.
A RESPECTABLE VAGRANT AND HIS
 MEANS OF SUPPORT.
Sad Experience of Two Young Men who Rre Willing Ito Work but are Unable to Find Any,

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 Find Any.
 "Yes, we are tramps. We are as thoroughly out in the world as the most tattered, impecunious vagabond that begs for few pennies on the street or for piece of bread at the back door.
 The speaker was a young man, not shabbily dressed save for the frayed binding on his cont. His face overgrown with weeks old beard, was frank and kindly. His companion was also young, :; and his appearance, too, was respecta- ble.
 --"'You don't look like tramps, said the reporter.
 "That is very true, and yet, if you were only to count as tramps those shift less vagabonds, down at the heel and out at the elbows, who jostle each other at the soup houses and steal for the sake of going to jail, you would have little more than half the tramps in Philadelphia today"
 "What has been your experience ?"
 'I'll tell you, but you must not pub fish our names. You can take them so that if any one, after reading the story, has desire to give us work, you can let us know. We are both down in the world, sir, but our sef-respect has not left us yet. pray God it never may. We'll, as to how we got down in the world. I am travelling salesman. At the end of 1884 depression in trade threw ne out of position had held for two years. I soon became poor, and then followed the usual experiences with pawnbrokers. could get no work, and finally my money was all gone and knew not where to turn to get a meal My companion last year was an advance agent for circus. Before that he was an engineer. He has a wife and two children in little back room on Vine street. We met as companions in dis tress, and he took me to his room. The scene witnessed there turned my trials to triAes and dispersed my sorrow for very shame. His wife was sick and his children stood shivering beside the empty stove. There had been nothing to cat in the room for two days"
 The speaker paused a moment and gave great gulp, as though to choke down lump in his throat. His eyes had glistening suspicion of tears in them.
 "Well," he went o1, "that was a month ago, and it was the beginning of our friendship. Since then we have been tramps, and we have worked to- gether. How we managed to get along is almost a mystery to me, now that the first month is passed"
 "Give me some idea of your opera tions."
 "Our meals are secured chiefly at free lunch counters. Often enough we can slip in and get drink with a crowd and then help ourselves or sit down and eat, no one noticing that we had not invested at the bar. Sometimes would go up to the counter, and when no one was looking, pass back to my companion enough food to make meal for his fam fly. He has Q place to sleep, but 1 have none and at night have to sniff for myself.
 "And how do you make out ?'
 Sometimes I sleep at the station houses, but the officers will not allow one to keep that up for many nights Four nights sleptin empty freight car; out near Brewerytown. When fai to find place to lay my head I stay around the Broad Street Station rnti they turn me out Yes, I am one o the tramps the station master talks about as constantly coming around there and being as constantly asked to go out. We'll, after am invited out o the station it is usually midnight. have to keep awake and put in the tim until morning. It is weary time of it Sometimes I walk out to Frankford an, sometimes to Germantown. Very often am stopped by penniless wanderers ik myself, who want few pennies for nights lodging. That is what I call tn very irony of poverty.
 "I could tell you good many thing to make you smile. Do you remembe, the incident Mark Twain relates il 'Roughing It of the fellow who found dime and threw it down so he coulC have the pleasure of finding it again Well, I had a similar experience. found a silver quarter at Broad anC Spring Garden streets. I had not eater anything for nearly thirty-six hours. picked it up and could not realize m. good fortune. tossed 1t down on tn pavement to see if it would ring, an' then walked away, and coming back picked it up again. The pleasure 0 going through the process of 6ndinI the coin the second time was equal t the frst.-Philadelohia Press. Women Rule in Bantam.