San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1889-02-09
A TRAMP'S PHILOSOPHY.
HE ASKED THE REPORTER FOR A
QUARTER AND EARNED 1T.

ish Prejudice Against Dirt.
"Yes, / am a tramp, pure and simple.
Ashamed of it, do you aski Why should bef''
The most wretched man that ever invaded
the domain of the Bridewell was not sorrier
looking or dirtier than the invidual who
spoke these words He stopped The Herald
reporter on his way home near the corner Of
Wells and Kinzie streets, to ask for quarter.
The reporter, after rapidly taking in the
healthy looking form of the beggar, de-
nounced him as a tramp, and was about to
pass ON when he was arrested by the words
quoted, which were uttered in tones OF
wondrous richness
Il have no use for tramps," the reporter
replied.
There are tramps and tramps," said the
man, not the least disconnected. 81 grant
you there are men Of my calling who violate
the eighth commandment. So, doubtless,
there are men of yours, whatever 1t may be.
The Saviour had his Iscariot, but shall you
say in consequence that Peter, John and Bar
tholomew were traitors and scoundrelsp
HE CLAIMED ENOUGH.
SIS there a case upon record Of tramp
who was of any use to himself or his gen.
erationl
"A thousand might readily be named |
What was Jacob when he fed from the
wrath of Esau, and raised his bethel in the
robber infested wildernessi Have you not |
heard Of Cadmus, the Phgnician, who intro
duced letters into Europef His restless spirit
caused him to sail up and down the Mediter-
ranean, and, doubtless, oftentimes to go far,
out upon the swollen waters of the great
Atlantic Going back In history, is there not
Moses, who for forty years tramped to and fro
In the desert, idle and indifferent, gathering
his food as it fell from the cloudsl Pompey,
Caesar and Anthony were very princes Of
tramps, betaking themselves here and there,
wherever there was novelty Of scenery or
rich treasures to be despoiled. Columbus
was a very illustrious member Of my CONTRA
ternity, dying as he lived, as veritable no
mad as the swart Arabs Of the sandy wastes
of the old world. The spirit of the rover
was stamped indelibly on Napoleon, SO that
not even the seductive Establishments Of an
imperial court could enchain him within the
precincts of Paris, the beautiful Trampsl"
he continued, after very brief pause, rails
ing his voice and talking rapidly. "What
but tramps were Cook, Magellan, Behring,
Dr. Kane, Gordon Cummin, Livingstone,
Stanley and the entire army of travellers and
vayageurs. What are you, sir" he asked
sharply, turning upon the reporter.
Precisely" he continued after he had been
truthfully answered. II had thought a.
much Let me tell you that honored as your
calling is, do not fear to enter the lists with
you and volunteer to name a Roland Of a.
distinguished tramp for every Oliver Of AMI
ulustrous journalist you may recall"
What quality, for instance, do you pos
sess that fits you to be classed with the long
line of illustrious individuals whom you have
namedP'
81 might name q thousand had you time
or patience to hear. Primarily am edu-
Gated The child of wealthy parents, had,
first, private tutor; then instruction in an
academy, and finally completed the full
course at one Of our leading universities l
am now So Until three years since, when /
entered the large army Of which l am now a
member, was great reader, devouring all
kinds of books that came in my way. Since
| began my travels have not read books SO
earnestly, because of the petty prejudice Of
vulgar minds, which decline to come in close
contact with men who are, as ! am, trihe
negligent in their attire.
at is all a matter Of taste. I am not SYM
pathetic. My father being rich was raised
in luxury and became selfish. | never en-
ployed my mind in aught but reading, and
was trained to esteem all mankind as robbers
ready to prey upon me and all the other
scions Of wealth. The old gentleman, my
sire, in his declining years went on Wall
street, and in a year his great fortune was
swallowed up. He was so silly as to be honest
and refused to save aught from the wreck.
The modification of the thing killed him and
my mother, both dying within a month after
his failure My jewels, fine clothes and the
thousand or two Of pocket money my father
had given me kept me in idleness for four or
five months. One morning | awoke to the
fact that | was absolutely penniless and
friendless After mature elaboration | re-
solved to let the world desp;sed care for me,
while l cultivated my love for travel and
observation. | love nature, l have no petty
vices, am honest, truthful and virtuous."
LENDING TO THE LORD.
"But you are a beggar. You stopped me
to beg a quarter"
THAT Is very true But am alone in thisi
Is not the world crowded with beggarsl Do
not grave senators beg their seatsa Is there
an officehoder in all this broad land who does
noG owe us place 10 MS plueouS pIeadlngSf
Did you ever attend church that failed to
shove contribution box under your nosef Is
there a merchant, lawyer, doctor, or manu-
facturer who begs not for patronage and sup
portp
''Those men, however, give something in
return"
while do the same thing. All systems
of religion declare it is more blessed to give.
than to receive. Why, declare to you that
full thousand times my own heart has beaten