Madison times. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1884-1???, 1885-03-28
TERMS: 5000 PER YEAR
GENTEEL TRAMPS.
Wen Who are Forced by Circumstance.
TO Take To the Road

1
begs for few pennies on the street or
for piece of bread at back door"
The speaker was young man, not
shabbily dressed, save for the frayei
binding on his coat. His lace over
grown with a weeks old beard. was frank
and kindly. His companion was also
young, and his appearance too, was re-
spectacle.
You don't look like tramps," said the
reporter.
"That is very true, and yet, if you were
only to count as tramps those shiflless
vagabonds, down at the heel and out at
the elbows, hojostle 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
| to-day"
| What has been your experience?"
"Fll tell you, but you must not publish
our names. You can take them 80 that
If any one, after reading the story. has a
desire to give us work, you can let us
know. We are both down in the world
sir, but our self-respect has not left us
yet. l pray God it never may. Well,
as TO how we got down in the world. l
am travelling salesman. At the end of
1854 depression in trade threw me ont
OF position had held for two years. I
soo1 became poor, an0 then followed
the usual experiences witr pawnbrokers.
| could get no work. and finally, my
money was all gone, and / knew not
where to turn TO get meal. My COM
paniOn last year was an advance agent
for circus. Before that he was an
engineer. He has a wife and two chill.
dren in little back room on Vine street.
We met as companions in distress, and
he took me to his room The scene l
witnessed thee turned my trials to
trities, and dispersed my sorrow for very
shame. His wife was sick, and his chill
dIen STOOD shivering beside the eiapty
stove. There had been nothing to eat
in that room for two days."
The Speaker paused moment and gave
a great gulp as thoug'. to choke down
down lump in his threat. His eyes had
a glistening suspicion of tears in them.
well, he went on, that was month
ago, and it was the beginning of our
friendship. Since then we have been
tranps, and We have worked together.
How we managed to get along is almost
a mystery to me, now that the first month
is passed" .'I..
"Give me some of your operations"
"Our meals are Sc ured chiefly at free
lunch counters. Often enough we can
slip in and get drink with crowd and
then help ourselves to the lunch, or sit
and eat, no one noticing that we had not
invested at the bar. Sometimes
would 60 up to the counter and when no
one was looking, pass back TO my CON-
panion enough food to make a meal for
his family. He has place to sleep, but
/ have non ), and at night | have to shift
for myself"
"And how do you make out"
Sometimes L sleep at the station
houses, but the officers Will not allow one
TO keep that up for many nights. -Four
nights | slept in empty freight cars out
near BreYerytOwn. When fail to find
place 10 lay my head stay around the
Broad street station until they turn me
out Yes, am one of the tramps the sta
tion-master talked about in the Press
a Sunday or two ago, as constantly COM
ing around there, and beingas constantly
asked to GO out Well, after / am invited
out of the station it is usually midnight.
have to keer awake and put in the
time until morning. II is weary time
it. Sometimes / walk out to Frank
ford, ard sometimes to Germantown.
Very often am stopped by penniless
wanderers like myself, who want few
pennies for nights lodging That is
what call the very irony of poverty.
II coud tell you yood many things
to make you smile. Do you remember
the incident Mark Twain relates in
"Roughing it," of the fellow who found
a dime and threw it down 50 he could
have the nleasura of f-G-lias--iA->t-Aia2-
We'll, 1'had' a similar experience.
| found a silver quarter at broad and
| Spring Garden streets. 1 had not eaten
anything for nearly thirty six hours
picked # up aud could not realize my
good fortune. L tossed it down.9on the
pavement to see if it would ring and
then walked away, and, coming back,
picked 1t up again. The pleasure of
going through the process of finding the
coin second time was equal to the
/ first" ~ .-. t.aIs
"Bnt isn't it possible to get work of
some kiDd?"
"AfteI months trial l am satisfied
that it is not possible to secure employ
ment. My friend and / have tried
everything. We started at Thirteenth
and Market streets and went 10 every
place OIL both sides of the street from
there TO the river, Offering TO DO any
thing for any wages, but not word Of
encouragement could we get. We, have
answered every advertisement for help
with the rdDle lack of success. MANY of
the advertisements led US TO employ
ment bureaus. A man goes 10, one Of
these places Tor help-say a ceachinaD.
The bureau advertises. Perhnrs hun.
red people Apply. The bureau takes a
dcllar irJm eaci one and sens all of
them 10 the man v no wants hep III
sixty people Iay a dollar for the job, OF
course filiy-hine ale swindled. We
lave been taken i'll tlhe and agalp.
NOW, all Vi this," vent on the gen
teei tramp, "is very alscouracing. No
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