The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1885-03-26
TRAMPs.
How Stranded Graduates Live
Without Money.
Sketches from the Frontier-"Give Me
Two Bits"-Progress and Poverty
Horace Greeley's Motto
Want Of Capital.

sketches rom the FrOntler-"Gtve NE
Two Bits"-Progress and Poverty
Horace Greeley's Motto
Want Of Capital.
BEG your pardon, sir, ear you let
me have two bits? I want to get a
nights lodging"
1t was outside the door of a brightly
lighted all-night saloon on San Antonio
Street that your correspondent was
stopped by this abrupt s%alutation. The
moonlight effulgence of the numerous
electric lights would have made a pin
on the sidewalk visible, and gave him
ample time to take stock of the suppli-
can't A slightly built man of about
thirty, dressed in an old and glossy suit
of black, that, to use the commonplace,
had ''seen better days" A face that
spoke of culture and refinement, albeit
brutalized by piggish bristles and rem
strong drink. The old black diagonal
coat was buttoned up close to the chin.
as though to hide the dirty linen be-
meath, and a worn SLOUGH hat formed
his headgear. 1t was in such a state of
dilapidation as to recall the ballad of
Paddy McFadden. who vas
greasy and fat,
And the hair of his head
1t 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
lease of pain and absolute oblivion,
their whole lives eem 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. I have seen it chased as a
crime from the streets of our great
cities in the United States; I 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 HalIes 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, I 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 1
should remark that this application for
1.-TWO bits was only one of a dozen to
which the visitor to Ell Paso is subjected
nightly. and that the only cure the au-
thorities seem to have for the evil is to
round up the poor devils like cattle and
drive them out of town with a force of
mounted officers.
Thought / would interview the man
who wanted two bits for a bed, and so
dropping half a dollar into his out
stretched palm I asked him to take a
drink. Seated beside a warm stove and
under the influence of a shot Scotch, "
my tramp became quite communicative
and required little urging on the part of
the interviewer to unlimber his tongue.
1t suppose you're going to commence
with the usual cant about why don't I
go to work and the rest of it," he CON-
menced. ITO hear you fellows talk
about industry and energy, one would
imagine that all a fellow had to do was
to go 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
on tbe desert air.
..Rnt IA ;maa;na - hrol.
respondent ..tSst a mon With :nnoa o,i
tnre' edncat;on and address vonid
sooner mr. later dron into sooatb;nn $50
.nd haon - 80 ..o.husS e.
Scam ~ he that I;nJ IS mon" LOU
..WaI, civ 70 1901 - ha;.m
,oco rrsdmata T haJ ~ eng 2 o
freem ! oa~nentor,a 1911 " idnIi ual'
smiths shn, T woriJ un. an
heaainr froIn ron ~ 49, III o"In
nnsn hos Ia 10y
s.a-vot;on 90 doy - tSs masLaes am" mE
1sad ~ noUouo3,d. 49, .,;.L anmno. me ns
y mi'n oolleses anu
unlselslIies VI All Ainos graduating
Young men VINO are aosolu'ely worthless
az uee1 ann precious mule use
anyWnere. 1nere are SO man!
yIulLs hnen VINO can Go holning Dnt
o.A NAV 'neie arc I'VE huhureu 1oi
osoiy oh0 sacancy. ana wages nave
s.nA = sealValon point. IN INNING
iio's she BUSINESS VI assaSer useG &c
ue soou one, NOW every olate I'm,
hnndgaa .h.t s ou; ;ninss py tne
nua ena' pas as anining ehgineer'
anu ssd an nao deir Ias Is less n a
IN. hoids So "n,fnan;ea. eau earn
~ =. "uS;st @uoo Pm seaerally
A.. tn.o ~ a.e na " oserlow.ng
80; we yu"i 10 ~ lac Soou sl.ua
az. III ~ 2 so9le ~ .uoeoh' puI ow,ng &c
mnnan hn e9' seo oa; 81 ! h s . m H;t
hnt to,nI ,a.,;un 80 y SiiV ETroiIs,
,r;th IN snUn anS DI nIs
VII SAME result anG anu 1hen LAKE
yMas y money nau gwen OUT ane
"an nav ,oL any !oo. a. slleu 70 get9 Oh
M;no. 70. 81. az u.s o'I L,lisaoianu
a..on" III ,ohero, Wei T nu'us y