The Lebanon express. (Lebanon, Linn County, Or.) 1887-1898, 1888-06-22
THE END OF THE ROAD.
Rest for Weary Feet, and Hands,
and Heart, and Brain.

He came into the composing-room
one afternoon. nearly exhausted from
long walk of twenty-five miles since
morning. and wet aud cold with the
dismal rain and sleet that was falling
outside.
BE did not present an attractive APP
pearance-a face that needed both
shaving and washing. Drowned by
constant exposure-and pair of great
eyes that looked hungrily around the
strange room rs if in search of some
thing he never found; coat that
might once have graeed the form of q
gentleman of leisure-probably con-
tributed by some dude" printer in n
philanthropie mood. but which had
long since lost the trace of respect
ability-an old slouch hat, battered by
wind and weather. and hard usage.
ike its owner
No one could have told. or even
guessed with any degree of accuracy.
the mans age. he may have been
ter-no one cared suffi ciently to in
quire or wonder Hs walked slowly
across the room. stopping at last to
watch dreamily the deft fingers of ono
of the printers who was dis tributing
his case for the nights work.
The worker glanced over his
shoulder at another man who sat be-
hind him. saying indifferently: -.
Here you are, slug seven"
Slug seven. who had evidently been
longing for a sub. threw himself
carelessly off his STOOL deposited a
dozen lines of type on the stone. and
turning to the stranger. said:
Want to workP Jump on that
case"
The tramp hesitated-only n second
-murmuring something about being
tired; then wearily took off his shabby
| coat, exposing 10 view q shirt which
had no original color and a vest
equally grimY and delapidated. But
| when once at work. sending the type
| hither and thither in the process of
distribu ion. the weary look on his face
| grew trifie less perceptible. and an
/ occasional smile lurked in the corner
of his mouth at the jokes that went
around the room
Outside, the November sleet beat
against windows. and the streets were
almost deserted Within the compos-
ing room all was life and fun and
laughter; merry talk mixed with the
click. click of type from hundred
fingers.
Thoughtless. light-hearted workers.
earning their money deftly and swift
| ly. and managing to be dead broke"
each week as payday came around.
where did you work last?'' asked
young fellow, who stood beside the
tramp
In Philadelphia. he answered.
stopping his work for moment ''But
that was two weeks ago; haven't had
any work since"
That's hard luck" carelessly.
1--WE fellows are used to that with
little. bitter laugh.
Pretty tired. aren't your" said
slug seven" walking up and noticing
the weary look in his subs" face.
Yes; and have pain between my
work tonight though" :" turning away
to pick up handful of type.
A tall. heavily-built man stalked in.
to the room at this juncture. He
glanced sharply at the new man. TAX
ing in his general outside appear
ance in one swift look. from the
brown. unshaven face to the shabby
shoes that scarcely concealed his feet.
A sudden hush fell upon the noisy
crowd. The business manager of the
concern was not inclined TO encour-
age levity. He walked over to the
foreman's table. whispering some.
thing in his ear and received the All,
swer:
He's all right; little, rough-look'
ing, but printer is printer; we're
three frames short tonight. "
The business manager walked out
after which the jokes and general
freedom of speech were resumed.
Six O. clock sounded from the differ
ent city shop-bells. the whistles blew
the old composing-room clock changed
out six sharp notes. The office wa
nearly deserted. The tramp fingered
looking with true compositor's pride
at the heaped-up case out of which Ii,
might ''pull a good string if h,
were not so tired, and that old pair
in his shoulders were not quite 81
sharp. though almost taking hi
breath at times.
1T looks as if would have to waf
: I'LL lunch time for my supper. but 1t
a long time till twelve o'clock to
! night he said TO himself as b
walked over TO the sink to wash NJ
No one seemed to notice that he mus
need food-that he would b
obliged to bunk under hi
case - in the waste-box, Q
press-room-any where for want of
little money to procure a lodging ou
side. None of the smart young print
ers who held regular cases on that ell
terprising sheet could be expected
take to their respectable bo&rdin
places man so dirty and uncoutl
looking as this tramp. Even II the