The sun., 1892-01-29
CATHERINE WALKER. TRAMP.
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NoRwrcB. Jan. 2a-A funny .looking little old
woman. with bowed form and motherly face
came into Norwich In the mist and fog the
other day. trudged along the street to Tom
Morris's English Ale House on Bath street,
said "How-de.do" to Tom. who was behind
his mahogany bar. and went on into his little
back parlor. whore tea kettle was steaming
| on his cheery-faced stove Then she took
sent In chair and said Come. now. my son.
bring me some real nice ale." Tom brought
the ale and the old woman Quaffed II, smacked
her lips. and said: There. there. that Is
good: that does an old body some good" She
fumbled In her calico dress Jacket, fetched out
OF ita 81 note. and paid for her beer. Then
she bought some more beer drank II. and be.
gan to grow mellow and vouble.
Trade was dull In the ale shop, and 80 the
jovlal Mr.. Morris. who saw that the old woman
| was an odd customer. took Q seat also In the
back parlor and said: Pretty tough weather.
ANTI 1t, for an old lady like you to bs trampina
about the streets ?"
well. WE'LL" was the reply. 1T might
be tough for some folks. but. bless you
sonny. 1t amt very tough for me. You ses
| I'm used to It,"
! Thereupon she felt in her pocket again.
fshed out OF It a broken. blacken clay pipe
filled 1t with navy plug. lighted IL, placed IL In
her toothless mouth. leaned back in her chair
with half.closed eyes. and pulled clouds OF
smoke into the little room. She was picture
OF perfect bliss and careless contentment. In
her neat calico dress. heavy shoes. and with
| her wrinIled. good-natured. chubby old
iace set far back in a quilted black
hood. she looked like a typical old country.
woman who had dropped in to neiehbor's
house for call. among the Connecticut hills.
Now and then she smiled at Tom Morris and
blinked at him: but she was q willy person,
and though she chartered on almost unceas.
ingly. she was very careful not to divulgo any
facts that might compromise her family if she
has any, or about her early history.
oh. know Just what you want, nv son.
she said. "and know that you are about dy-
ing to have me tell you all about me, and vhy
an old critter like me. who am 81 years old and
Coin' on "a. is trampine about the world, with
no homo and no friends. That's what you'd
like to have me tell. now. amt it And yet they
say men haven't any curiosity; but I
amt goin' to do any such thing. and
I amt goin' to tell any more than
think ), best. 30 there my son: how do you like
oronsly. :" But don't mind telling You this
Katie for Shorthand that I'm tie Oldest old pro
fessionai tramp in the country and the only
guess lie tod you ali thats e5od for youEat
hon sT think Se Be st S In sssFs on the
ona Mr. t MOTIFS H i sst out the drinks with smile.
then shook tie ashes out Of her pine. nut the
gIpe carefully in her dress pocket and DIV wads ai
word. Next she dropped into John r. McNa-
mara.s SALOON sal on she,icket street. drank sew
arectionately. and sauntered back s into HeB Bath
street. She was now feeling very we'll indeed.
e% s S' .tsa uortn 1S I M pG SsS
then M Chist Of ,9 PGliss bowen heard d her. and
Bath street. % ihe old woman % seemed aem to ntS be
very glad t" see Mr.. Irish: Sly, SHOOK hands
been ook"s for s% s%% % Size Vent y tos Nth haxs hiS
gladly to, the, city police of1ice. and First Se-
leetman Lillibridse came down stairs from his
= In a few moments all the officials in the City
Hali-a large company OF men-thronged into
male tramp in New England. who was more 3r
@ 1d SHE was 20 to 81
wants several times in the past two or three
ss,sa wnsn se hna int
and aint nowhere near dead yet. Yes. i'm
son sonn on "a n9% w. and I% Jest as smart as eyer.
Whore DO you hail from this time?h in
CURED tho Selectnnn:
f2s Es SSE sta9 ,nHs fs
The a!mshouse here in spring comes. You SEQ.
January. and with 50 much srip and infiuenzy "
it's dangerous; you know"
sef hs4 Sa
was at Fl FIrasmingh'am S, Mass. before she went
sne s.sn %
mantle she had been in bsnhsryy y'Ht in the he VEST
err ern part Of the state !p ard had tramped across
That she. had sta sister al and 'H Other !0Wi: rei
see Ter: and MI Webb beiievins vi eessa her story.
bought her a ticket for Norwich on, the New
sslsctman Lillibridse Catherine never rt spoEs S'S
Fss ssa eHt nTnys ys ssa s1
she does like to tax ca drop drop. and sometimes i mes
According to = section Of the famous IRON
Of violate the .Ssas law shen s' tssy ss
forward 2 vagrant or other .pauper to another
tSTR a 1S Se #bS 80 NJ ts hs
willy Sat GathsrRs 81 Walker had hoHdwinkei him.
nas violated Word ssm
%:SS S9ss sSss s 81 Zig zig
station Then onesr Irish escorted s' hss SSte to
On % account Of Goodness sf to her. sS she ssid.
iuen SHo cioSei one eye anu 2uOeu: AOu
think that you are going to send mo through
| to Wilinantic. but you are goin' to get left:
now. SEQ Il You don't. I'm goin' to get Off at
| the first station"
To forestnll GATHERINGS professed intention
| Mr.. Irish notified the conductor and all the
| hraksmen OF the train to keep watch OF her and
SEQ to it that she was carried through to Willi-
mantle man IHt Vt in some manner, she managed to
from, the train long before it reached Will
nantic. u was not until two days later
that Mace, went into N,, joel Webbs oflce. and
| You but you and the Norwich police did get
| left on TINT trip. didn't You p
farm. where she he has all the tobacco she. wants.
| but no beer, When Catherine Ia tramping she
| always has plenty OF money, for she has such
nice. motherlv look she can beg dollar in
| an hour any day.
| About ths status Of a female tramp" in
hasn't any iuiiciaiiy. The ga ailant iesiSMtors
WHO contriyed and enacted the fam?ns. pro-
! scrirtivc statute for this state evidently didn't
conceive tina! it was rossble fora woman eyer
| to hecome q tramp: so the tramp law applies
| only to male. .vagrnns. 1t provides that n male
| tramp shall be imprisoned in jail or prison for
| i.nf ,tck, Ia