The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1890-08-17
THE TRAMP'S STORY

Whilst 1 was sojourning in California,
and showing my pencil to keep the wolf
from the door, had occasion to go to a
small way station on the outskirts of Los
Angeles. 1t was during the boom, when
the finest of orange groves, vineyards and
the most magnificent of English walnut
orchards were being sacrificed to mammon,
and every point to which you could cast
the eye was fruitful of the labor incident
to the laying out of lots for business and
residence purposes. From San Diego to
Los Angeles was one continuous town,
judging from the numerous fancy built
station houses along the line of the rail
road. The names given these embryo cities
were of a high-sounding order. Each par
ticular town Gn name only represented
its claims to superiority over all the others
Whilst it was sand lot boom, dc stined to
die, as it did, very sudden death, it was
the journalists harvest. The papers were
literally crammed with advertisements,
whilst writers of fiction were in demand
to prepare lengthy articles descriptive of
some desert SpOt-of course called the gar
den spot, ETC., of the land of milk and
honey. L lived in clover during those days,
ate with astonishing regularity, and in
stead of resting my weary bones at some
all-nlght resort, slept the sleep Of innocence
in a real bed.
My dress was plain, not in IKE least dud-
ish, and as | was working for the money
there was in it, there was nothing in my
outward appearance which bespoke the
imam of brains" concealed beneath the
cheap fabrics which covered my person.
was strolling toward one OF those ''cities on
paper,n my mission to write it up Being
no capitalist or real estate man, l per
suaded myself that it was best for me to
walk out and stumble, as it were, on this
magnolia scented suburb of the City of the
Angels. AS the highways and hedges rep
resented mere than their share of desert
dust, took the usual tourist route, that
most scenic of all routes that route, at this
particular season, most reSorted to by
bankrupts OF high and low degree, the rail
road track. was pursuing the even tenor
of my way. ambling over the cross ties, my
thoughts rambling in all directions, when I
was aroused from my soliloquy by voice
from behind with this pleasant salutation :
Hello, pard. which way." "Bound north, -
was my reply. AS the man spoke, for
twas the remains of one who once was
called man, | carefully looked him over.
He wore an old time tile of days agone, his
pedal organs were lily covered, his faded
and threadbare Prince Albert bespoke for
him low comedian, his trousers
looked like the seat had come in
quick contact with somebody's bull purp,
whilst his once immaculate shirt front was
besmeared with the juice of castaway cigar
stumps and bummed tobacco. If fact, had
not known his whereabouts at that time,
would have sworn it was Opie Read out
for an airing. His costume, gait and gen
eral demeanor had strong resemblance to
the genial Opie as he was collecting data
for that famous article on his railroad
tramping (''Cross Tie Pilgrimage'O which
forever established him as journalist of
humoristic proportions. $50 you are bound
particular season, that city across from
Oakland where living is cheap and health
abounds," says my friend looking me
square in the face with a merry twinkle of
his eyes. ''Yea, verify" l replied, 'smy OBJ
jective point for the night wherein intend
enjoying sweet repose lies within a few
miles OF where we now stand, and if your
bank account has been struck by lightning
or your pocketbOok mashed out of exist
ence by an elephant tramping on it. in
order that your seemingly much worried
brain may have an unusual respite from
arduous labor, l will furnish sufficiency
of the filthy to recompense some caravan
sary proprietor for filling you up and tuck
ing you between lily white sheets for the
night" Thanks, thanks" he feebly re-
piled, ''your language has reviving
effect Have you bit of the weed.''
gave nm cut of toba"cO
and when he had resolved au immense qu d
in his mouth sufficient to enable him to spit
with accuracy and hit given mark. he
volunteered to give me sketch Of his life
and wanderiIgs. AS [ purposed stopping
at ---- during the next day, deemed
it best to hear his recital after he had
d!nei, SO we forbOre speaking of the
tramp's luck for tho time being. AS to the
amount OF ''solids," not to say word
about the extras" my friend put out of
sight as we sat at the hotel table, struck
solemn awe into all about him. l have
heard of the song, 'All for Fifteen Cents y
and the amount eaten by the girl in that
song, but until then never realized that [
would be told l would have to settle for
that hungry tourist on the European plan.
"Pard, let's shake, you are brick Of the
first water, and your kindness will lie
deeply imbedded in my heart and I shall. of
course, have you elected an honorary mem
Der of the American Tourists league when
the next general meeting of the order takes
place" l thanked him for his courtesy.
handed him a fragrant white labor cigar
noted for its being clear of Havana. ssCon-
tinue, my man, give me rough outline of
this tourists league, who are it's members.
their requisites for membership, and the
reason of its formation" quoth l.
swell, to begin, allow me to intro
duce to you your humble and
travel stained servant, President
Richard Henry McGruder of the Ameri-
can Tourists league" CORDIALLY recogniz.
ing the gentleman. he continued. SIT was