The Pascagoula democrat-star., 1891-03-06
CONFESSIONS OF A TRAMP.

| uioulu oHc character. l am a
very commonplace man, but my
father was wealthy, owned large
plantation and lots of slaves. |
was "nursed in The lap OF luxury
and had everything / desired.
graduated from a Southern Uni
versity, went to Europe and stud
led at Heidelberg, fought a few
duels, travelled considerably, and
came home with a Cockney accent.
| was too indolent to take any in.
terest in anything in the way of a
profession. My most serious bust.
ness was in being the son of my
father. Well, such things don't
always last. The war came and
swept our property away. Father
was old and the shock killed him.
Mother soon followed. Ny two
sisters married we'll and their hus-
bands were IN the army. My soul
became fired with patriot ardor,
and l secured a captains commits
sion. We did some fighting and |
was unfortunate enough not to be
killed.
The war was over and | fouGd
myself fat. A gentleman without
means or energy Is in a bad fix. |
borrowed from my friends as long
as l could, and wondered what |
could do next. | never did work
and could not. thought OF steal.
ing but knew | was not enterprls.
ing enough. l did, however, make
few essays, but the spoil was in
significant and l drlfted along.
The rude shocks of time were be-
ginning to show on my clothes. l
looked like the principal character
in Ten Nights in a Bar-room."
About this time | began to move
-unconsciously almost. | never
can tell how | was SET IN motion.
| saw others just like me-many
others-all moving, same as my
self. Where were we going? We
Didn't know. Everybody knows
about the Gulf Stream and Trade
Winds. 1t is known that they ex-
ist, but no one knows why or how.
Well, so with us. We moved and |
kept moving. There must have
been something in the air-per-
haps electricity. and every one |
whose mind vibratei to this infu-
ence found himself moving. We
were not all moving in the same
direction. Oh, no! We all had
the same object, but | don't think
one of us knew what 1T was. ]
don't think We cared to know. We
grew confident in the belief that
sufficient unto the day is the evil
thereof"
AT first people didn't know what
we were. They thought we were
and deserved pity.
They did pity us, and we lived
we'll. There were many jolly fell
lows among us--fellows Of all sorts.
We travelled in twos and threes.
We held reunion every year in
Boston, Denver, Cincinnati, or
some other town, with good ship
ping facilities. Some choice spir-
It's always presided on these occa-
sions, and we always felt that it
was a glorious thing to belong to
he fraternity.
| remember after a witty speech
,f mine in Minneapolis on our III
eenth university | was heartily .
applauded. My heart swelled
with pride. My eyes swan in tears
IF joy. At that moment there
vas as much ardor in my breast
Is when we fought at Gettysburg. ,
The public got down on US. The
- public is always meddling. ;
We were ostracised. Instead of :
he spare bed at a farm house We /,
lad 10 sleep in the barn by stealth. :
Matters grew worse and worse-
authorities got 10 look
ng after US. The blue-bellied leg
slators in some States, enacted ,
avs 10 run us out of their terrific 6
les. We went without appealing
o the constitution. Our ways
ire ways of peace-unless we 4,
ound a lone woman in lone farm
louse. BY this time we were ia
known by the name OF
'Tramps," and our appearance u.s.
tally indicated our calling. In
he matter of dress, We had a
tormy scene i'm our fourth annual
It New Haven. Our most worthy
irand Pilierer wanted this. The
Vice Grand Bulldlozer wanted this.
The High Sneak favored dis
.uise now and then, but the voice
If the general assembly was in ia.
7or Of the costume We have since
adopted.
Well, along in the fall of 1888 |
TO be In Chicago, and
inding comfortable berth on the
North side, near the Rush street
bridge, | turned in for the night.
The noise in ihe neighborhood of
he Rush street bridge is simply
.erriic. In the morning | was
vakened early by this fearful
noise. Finding | could not sleep
with safety, got up and thought
would walk out towards the pier
and see what was going on. In
the corner Of huge
l nearly run into gen.
leman. As soon as he saw me he
burst INTO a fit of laughing. This
made me uncomfortable, as | thot
lerhaps there was something IN