Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1886-10-22
THE HEARTH AND HALL.
Ye Poor Tramp.

Michigan seems to be remarkably
free from tramps at this time. This
fact may be attributed more to the
season OF the year than to amy decrease
OF their number. Tor like his distant
cousin, the millionaire. whom ne can
initiate as we'll as envy, the tramp
spends his winters South and summers
North.
The tramp is product of our Ameri-
can civilization. and has risen Wart-
like and unbidden upon the body polite.
He has neither companion or counter
part on the earth he is nobody S
darling and nobody cares for him 49,
except the policeman. The tramp
resembles the wind Ia one rcSpVct-lt
is uncertain where ne came from and
whittier he is going. He seems to bc
without pride o. ancestry and nope Of
pOsterlty, and his character IS a medley
of strange and contradictory tranSltS.
lie will fight If you impeach his yeracity
and steal the nails out OF barrel hoop
if You give him chance. lie is a
Democrat in one town and a Republi-
can in another; he is a dcVout believer
III christianity to-day and a roaring
intidel tomorrow: his conscience = :.
regular Kaleidoscope and The changes
are adapted to his surroundings. the
main object being ratlOnS and grOg.
In regard TO eating he Is quite easy to
please. and loves cold NiCtaals with an
ardor that appIoNimatcs senUmeutUlsm
itself, and when Ire holds one end 81 81
secondhand hook bone in his greasy
fist and the other between his grinding
molars. the sound produced is rs that O.
rising waters. The tramp eats the
bread OF toll al the days OF his life. Ii
amt his toll. oil course. but there is
nothing mean about him. for he is salts
fled with The bread. When il comes 10
the pleasure of the flowing bowl the
tramp takes a stand on higher ground.
When he empties the Rose Bud bot
tie into glass. bends his arm and
throws his head back. the observer has
before him dramatic representation of
when Swallows llomeWMd Fly. lie
is not particular what kind the whisky
is, but how much 1t IS When me COM
pleteS his little performance OF drink
ing his eyes look rs though he had
swallowed u torch-light procession. y
tramp has been known 10 drink with Il
relish whisky that was SO mean that
one drop swallowed by a decent man
would stop his watch and make a dog
howl across the street. This is true.
for we heard a Grand Rapids auctioueer
tell it. AMI their Ncracily IS mQurS-
toned. He hates women and wood
Saws, because tie former points to the
latter and repeats tiat scriptural pas
sage. by the sweat OF tiny brow SHALT
thou earn thy bread. One remarked
to Wash-Woman that no lady had ever
acted the gentleman toward nm. He
WAS borne Out ia his statement by two
hospital employees on a strctCher after
six policemen had induced the woman
to leave his disiigurcd remains. He
will never make that remark TO another
woman, for He has climbed the golden
stair The tramp is neither q convert
nor follower of Horace Greeley. He
rarely dies like Greeley did and never
goes west TO grow up with tie country
as Greeley told other people TO dO. He
does not die for feM ii will be harder
to shirk work in the next world than
it is in this. and declines the West with
thanks, for there the song of the six
shooter is not unsual music.
The American tramp-dnd no other
brands are gcnuinc-has no definition
and no baggage. He came too late for
the last revision of the dictionary and
is consequently left shiycring and
hungry on the charities OF pittilcs,
world. but the dictionary of the future
will describe him as 4 Wandering
Jew. soaked inside with whisky and
outside with greece. and smoked and
smutted and multiplied by 10000.
He has the right to pass free over all
the railroads of the country. and re-
turns this courtesy extended by the
corporations by walking slow around
the curves and Whisting at the cross.
ings. He has seen the snail, but hC
met him he never overlook him.
When night oyertakes a tramp ht
cares not whether il is in forest Wild o.
city full; the bright and gladstone
sprngtime. or hOry freezing winter
for he uscs the blue canopy OF IlcMei
for cOyerlet and cross-tic for Il pilloy
and sleeps The sleep OF the just.
Do not laugh and iecr at him as h
hastens and hungers along. for We mg.
see differently when we "crasc % SCI
through glass darby His charac
ter may DC a rudderless craft driven Oh
by unseen hands. and the great GO,
who gives wings 90 the bird 5Urei VII
not damn it for flying. he goes through
life like M arrow shot from d bow
The cradle behind IT, the bow From
which he is being hurled and the rrar
ahead is the target ut Wh.chhr SIS eimej
Some day, tired OF life. he VIII lie dow
sick and hungry i'm this world AND Wai
to get well in another. and when tu
angels that upl0ls.ers the Heaven
cOne5 at eYenlfie 90 hang his r.
curtains pi hlU aluaad u rp.tIu sgu
hc vii uHoaf tDs Jasper g,.tes and ia
tramp, who never had Il home will cntc
anu find a wclcome-a welcome TO Tia