Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1890-03-12
JIM, THE TRAMP.
Although a Worthless Vagabond
He Never Forgot a Kindness.

He was bad lot! Magistrates, Jail
chaplains and police had all at various
times told him so, and he quietly &C.
cepted their Judgment, knowing it to be
pretty near the truth. An outcast from
his very babyhood, what chance had he
ever had! Left by an unfeeling mother
to die in roadside ditch, he had been
taken to the nearest union, to be
brought up homework founding, I'M
til he was old enough to be bound
prentice and the guardians could wash
their hands of him entirely. Adrunken
saddler covenanted to clothe, board and
teach him his trade; and at his hands
poor Jim had dogs life, until, goaded
to madness by every species of ILL
treatment, he struck his master and
fed. For awhile he tried hard to get
work in the villages through which he
passed: but no one would take on the
strange friendless lad, and so he made
up his mind to enlist for soldier.
If only he had reached York an hour
or two earlier, Her Majesty's army had
gained useful recruit, and poor Jim
would have had a chance to rise and be-
come credit to the service. But ILL
luck would not let him 60. He was
routed out of an old stable by jealous
member of the city police, and charged
next day with sleeping out night or
some equally heinous crime, the result
being that he was. committed to prison
for seven days. This broke down his
last shred of self-respect; and when tina
happens to man or boy, Heaven help
him, for his doom is sealed.
Jim came out of Jail utterly reckless,
with wild hatred of every body and
every thing. He thought no more of
soldering or getting work, but let him
self drift resolutely to the bad. He
soon got into vicious company, and be-
fore many weeks we're over was again
in the clutches of the law. The down.
hill road is an easy one and the pace
always rapid, and so at thirty years of
age he was pretty widely known to the
authorities as confirmed rogue and
thief who would not stick at trifles
when once he was reused.
Yes; there was no doubling it, he was
an outcand-out bad lot! And he looked
it, too, as.he slouched along the country
lane with hands deep in his empty
pockets and his head bent to meet the
rain which the November wind drove in
his face. But he was too much used to
discomfort to heed the weather, and
plodded sullenly on through the pud-
dies in the deepening gloom, half
asleep, and so utterly careless of every
thing around that he never heard the
beat of hoofs until CHEEKY voice
cried: "Now, my good fellow, if you do
not want the whole road to yourself,
perhaps you will let me pass"
Jim never looked round, but skunk
closer to the dripping hedgerow, ex-
pecting the horseman to ride on with
out another word, but something quite
unexpected happened, for the CHEEKY
voice said: "Thanks!"
1t was the first time any one had ever
thanked the good.for-nothing, and he
stared up in blank amazement, and saw
q man of about his own age, in red coat
and top~boots plentifully despatched
with mud, looking down at him from the
back of withdrawing hunter with
out the least CLEAN of aversion or sus.
picion on his pleasant, fresh-colored
face. s.
"You look rather done up; been long
on the road?" ~, "
"A week an more!' The reply was
surly enough, not that Jim resented the
question, but simply because he was SC
used to insults and rough speaking that
the idea of a ''blooming swell'' speaking
avilly to such as he took him utterly by
surprise. -..-
'SGotng home?" sszzzs..- ~,
Vim gave > contemptuous grunt
Newer had yan, guv'nor!"