Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1885-01-24
THE TRAMP.
A Correspondent Says Few Kind Words
Relative to Him.

A Correspondent Says a Few Kind Words
Relative to Him.
EDS. REcoRD-U UNION: A short paragraph
III the RECoRD-UNIoN a few days since told
of the adventures of tramp in crossing
the Colorado desert. Sitting upon brake,
his coat caught upon the axIetree of the
car truck and was gradually wound up.
Realizing the perilous situation in which
he was placed, the tramp braced himself,
and although his clothing was torn from
his body, he escaped death.
Almost every newspaper has something
to say Of the tramps, III the line of small
paragraphs but articles revealing the ma
ture of the animal are rare. Now | waRt
to tell what | know of him-not as I have
seen him as he knocked upon the door and
asked for something to eat nor as | have
become acquainted with him through
newspaper paragraphs but as a personal
acquaintance whom have met in dozen
States and Territories; one whom
have found always the same under
every phase of circumstance, wearing the
broadcloth of luxury and the open-toed
shoes which seem of themselves To be ask
my Ioi lCluilS' >ii4he WIN tlie 4I"t-Ne t!luS-
pendence. | am not in error III The above
Let those who doubt my assertions watch
the progress of some of the tTanps to be
seen daily on our streets. The dirty collars
of a few will shortly be replaced by clean
ones, the dirty faces will be Shaven. the old
shoes will be replaced by new ones and
finally the ragged, dirty clothes will disap-
pear and a. new suit of hand-me-down
will conceal the traces of the tramp, and he
Will blossom as the rose and emit the sweet
odor OF civilization. / said this would be
the case with some. fully realize that
there are some tramps who seem to be in
their native element when groyeling alike
IN moral and material filth; but among
them there IS powerful arstocracy 9i the
clean, and they are, unlike most arIstocra-
eies, IN the majority:
But the first duty IS to find the origin of
the tramp. There are suTmiseS that, like
TopSy, they groWed, children OF nobody,
natives OF nowhere And II this assertion
Is not openly made, 1t Is because the vague
idea has not been crystalIlZed INTO words.
But even the tramp mas ms parents, ana
many OF them have relatives OF high social
and political standing. nave seen IN tins
state nephew OF man VINO, tor thirty
consecutive years, held seat III the nlted
States Senate, wandering about from one
city TO another, undergoing all the prlva-
tons winch lall to the lot OF the tramp l
have seen IN the same, sons OF ministers OF
the gospel, OF lawyers, physicians, mer-
chants, mechanics, coming alike from coun-
try village and city, some from high aristo-
cratic families. some from social sewers,
for the time being cliquing together for
mutual advantage, and forgetting. even hid
ing, social standing.
But their object IN life? Aye, but who
has an object in life? Is II he who
throws the whole force OF giant
genius into politics and by inherent
force crowds himself to the leadership
of faction OF the world 5 people, 10 be
forgotten by his children generation
Are not all objects III life but transient
visions? Let Us eat drink and be merry,
for tomorrow we die. The epicurian
philosophy may not be sound, but II Is
widespread.
But people do not start IN lie as tramps
OF their own Tree VIII; ana When they DO
" hit the road Tor the first time, they
usually resolve that 1t shall be their last.
They 90 out rs tramps, as general thing,
through compulslon; then the fascination
of the life Oi the vagrant grows upon them,
and finally It becomes second nature.
But there are many who torsake the life,
and, settling down, become good citizens.
If the truth could be learned, 1t would be
found that many Of our prominent mer-
chants, especially upon the Pacific coast,
have at some period of their lives, been
upon the road, and have been aided greatly
in business enterprises by this experience.
But there are many names prominent in
the worlds history whose bearers were
nothing but tramps. Oliver Goldsmith and
the author of Pollock's q" Course of Time,
and even Or. Johnson, were tramps. Mark |
Twain. Benjamin Franklin and BayaId |
Taylor are noted for having been tranps.
Let US draw a picture. Here is q quiet
settlement. We will say of miners. Peace
reignS here and harmony. Suddenly there
: revolution; a strike has taken place !
The contestants Lold on to the last mo