The Delta independent., 1888-07-24
A Real One.

Educated trampsp Why certainly
there are educated tramps." said an
old-time detective-one of the real
..sleuth" tribe of 'tlnd
there have been for many years l
am not speaking either OF men or
monstrosities, freaks or phenomen a.
who happen in some unaccountabae
way to be gifted with knowledge or
intuition Of some one thing. like the
music of Blind Tom or the 'figurative'
ability, SO to speak, of a natural math :.
ematician. l speak of tramps VIII
have thorough. full. brilliant educs
tious in every branch of q college GU, :
riculum.
but to return to the educat I'd
tramp. Once was sitting in front Of
hotel IN St Joseph. Mo-. with he
young son of the state governor at
that time, who was also very weah Thy
man. 1t was a pleasant evening in
summer. The young .gentleman ar ID 1
were enjoying an afternoon OF gar.
when a specimen of the genus tr amp
approached. He was an elderly nan.
and his language at once bespolo the
wreck of q gentleman. Said he: "Gen-
tlemen, pardon my intrusion. but
observe that neither of you seem to be
specially engaged at the nome nt
desire to solicit small donation. or
would willingly accept one of large
proportions. l would feed gr atified,
however, to obtain sufficient amount
of cash to continue. to as great length
us possible the connection between
my soul and body-that is. to protract
| the association between my physiolog-
ical and corporate attributes have
not INDUCED in anything in the char
acter of reflection during the day.
| now that night is falling, j am only
alike the Son of Man in btaying not
where to lay my head
| This the seedy old tramp said in q
spirit OF facetiousness which. was in
tended, but Mt the same time he looked
very much as If he hadn't had a bite to
eat in n week, and he was altogether a
dilapitated specimen of humanity.
| i.My companion asked him his busi-
moss or profession.
"'Well,' said he, at present am
only gentleman of elegant leisure
Formerly l was college professor.
and am yet something of an educator.
in n warning way. that is to say, in
the capacity of what is sometimes
spoken of as frightfufexample-'
'.The conversation continued between
the two until it became apparent that
the tramp was really man of brilliant
school attainments. My young friend
had just graduated in law at one of
the great universities, and had pre-
vously graduated. in no less distin-
guished school, in letters. and was,
therefore. capable of sounding the old
man deep. The tramp would recite.
in the original tongue. the otles of
Anacreon, begin anywhere in Homer
and spin off the blind Greeks poetry
at any desired length; was no less, ia
of other Greek and Latin poets ora
tors and law-givers; talked beauti-
fully about law, and referred 10. the
most delightful way to the leading
characteristics of Justiniap, and Of
later law commentators, including
Blackstone. Kent. Bouvier. ct al. ran
cheerfully over the beauties OF Green
leaf in that authors philosophizings on
the nature of evidence. while in other
branches of learning and science. in
mathematics and art, in the wide
domain of knowledge, he seemed to
have been freebooter.
..My friend almost fell in love with
the charming old loafer. took him to
a clothing store and had him fitted out
with new suit entire. from top to toe
and from the skin out. had him fed
and bathed, and gave him money to
continue eating and looking decent
but that old wretch preferred drink to
NIL things. and was gone next day. My
friend desired to keep him about as a
source of information and amusement.
but this educated tramp went on his
way fulfilling his mission as an object
lesson in the philosophy OF temper
had worked as college professor,
and drink had dragged him from his
high estate. ."-Arkansau Mraueler.