St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1885-05-02
TRAMPS.
how Stranded Graduates live
Without Money.
sketches from the Frontier-.Gixe NJ.
A"o bits"-Progress and Poverty
Horace Greeley's Motto
Want of Capital.


me have two bits? 1 want to get
nights lodging"
1t was outside the door of a bright
hghted all-night saloon on San Antoni
street that Your correspondent wa
stopped by this abrupt salutation. Tn
moonlight effulgence of the numerou
electric lights would have made pil
on the sidewalk visible, and gave hin
ample time to take stock of the suppl
cant. A slightly built man of abou
thirty, dressed in an old and glossy sui
OF black, that, to use the COMMONPLACE
had ''seen better DAYS" A face tina,
spoke of culture and refinement, albei
brutalized by piggish bristles and rem
dered coarse by over-indulgence il
strong drink. The old black diagona
coat was buttoned up close to the chin
as though to hide the dirty linen be.
meath, and worn SLOUGH hat formed
his headgear. 1t was in such state OF
dilapidation as to recall the ballad O,
Paddy McFadden. who was
greasy and fat.
And the hair of his head
lit stuck out through his hat"
Such was the ensemble of the man who
came West to the boundary of two re-
publics, to hold out his hand to the pass
ing stranger and beg two bits for his
nights lodging. Drowning men, who
have been rescued. tell us that in the
few moments that elapse between sur
cease of pain and absolute oblivion,
their whole lives seem to pass in review
before them, and as my fingers sought
the coveted twenty-five cents, so seemed
to pass through my mind sad thoughts
Of the increase of misery and poverty
the wide world over.
Poverty, think, is the greatest COS
mopolite. have seen it chased as a
crime from the streets of our great
cities in the United States; l have seen
it selling its miserable match boxes
Containing matches that never would
or could ignite), as an excuse to escape
police persecution in the London streets:
/ have seen it picking up the garbage
around the Hal!es Central in Paris, sun
ming its brass badge on the Piazza de
Spagna at Rome, and yet more recently
blocking the entrance to the Cathedral
of Chihuahua. But surely, thought,
this Southwest that is always asking for
immigrants ought not to have healthy
men round the streets of her town ask
ing for aims. In this connection !
should remark that this application for
two bits was only one Of a dozen to
which the visitor to Ell Paso is subjected
nightly. and that the only cure the ar-
thorities seem to have for the evil is to
round up the poor devils like cattle and
drive them out of town with force of
mounted officers.
Thought would interview the man
who wanted two bits for bed, and SO
dropping half dollar into his out
palm l asked him to take q
drink. Seated beside warm stove and
under the influence of ''hot Scotch, F"
nv tramp became quite communicative
and required little urging on the part OF
the interviewer to unlimber his tongue.
II suppose you're going to commence
with the usual cant about why don't l
90 to work and the rest Of it, )" he COM
ITO hear you fellows talk
about industry and energy, one would
imagine that all fellow had to do was
10 po right into the first store and ask
for a job to get it. Well, you just try
it and you'll find that your industry is
not wanted and your energy is wasted
On the desert air.
but I'd imagine" broke in your cor
THAT man with some cul-
.ure, education and address would
sooner or later drop into something good
md keep it, without much trouble. You
seem to be that kind of man.
well. sir, if instead of being col
ece graduate had been a graduate
rom a carpenters bench or q black
smiths shop. / would not have been
Begging from you tonight. The only
nan who has any solid guarantee against
tarvation to-day is the mechanic The
and is overcrowded with colleges and
of all kinds graduating
,oune men who are absolutely worthless
t best and precious little use
nywhere. There are so many
Dung men who can do nothing but
Jerk that there are five hundred for
very one vacancy. and wages have
unE to starvation point. In mining
i>tricts the business of assayer used TO
g a good one. Now every State Uni
ersity is turning out things by the
undred that pass as mining engineers