The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1892-04-23

@ASzzas-SS u IW miliar question
asd sounded in my
ears one morning as l stood at my case
busily setting type. l knew at once
that member of the travelling fratern-
ity had made his advent. He was
queer looking individual, dusty, ragged
and forsaken. His clothing seemed to
be made up of the contribution of all
classes of people. A broadcloth Prince
Albert coat gave him decidedly minis
terial look, which was sadly dispelled
by jaunty crush hat which vainly
tried to hide his rough, uncombed hair.
He passed on to the next room and
resumed my work. After awhile he
came back.
Say, pard, have you got a nickel
'bout?" he asked. 1.-The foreman is GO
ing to give me some work and want to
get bite to eat"
/ duly contributed and he passed
out.
The next morning when l entered the
composing room he had been installed
in the same "alley" with myself and
was hard at work. And so he stayed.
He was fine workman, thorough
master of his trade, and he declared that
he was tired of tramping and was going
| to settle down.
81 haven't always been tramp" he
vouchsafed as he got on his stool at my
side. Upon my expressing my gratiti-
cation, he continued:
81 should say not. | was one of the
biggest men in big state one day,
young man. Owned one of the finest
daily papers in the west. They didn't
call me Old Pete, then" he continued,
musingly, more to himself than to me.
~ was Hon. Petcrs Burbanks then, and
had a nice home; now I'm Old Pete, the
tramp"
l thought actually saw tears glisten
in the old mans eyes, but must have
been mistaken. The truth is, several
years experience with his genus had
taught me that the wonderful tales they
always told of their previous lives were
not to be credited us absolutely true.
l looked at the old man pityingly.
His bent and shrunlien form and un-
cared for person were certainly worthy
of compassion. His fingers mechani-
cally deposited each letter in its proper
apartment, but his thoughts were far
away.
"How did you come to be tramp?" l
asked, to arouse him.
"Oh, it got too rich for me; couldn't
stand success, you know"
He looked at me defantly, and ]
knew that his light answer was given
merely to conceal some circumstance,
some tragedy, perhaps, of his life of
which even he, tramp that he was, could
not bring himself to speak.
"How long have you been on the
road?' inquired.
"Tcn years. Haven't been back to my
old home or heard word from there in
all that time. just been trampin'
trampin, working day here and a day
there"
Again the veteran fell into reverie
and the click, click of the type was the
only sound that broke the silence of the
composing-room. Old Pete would talk
to whoever would listen. He had been
everywhere and had seen many things
He told wonderful tales of his exploits
of the things he had done and the
notable people he had met, all of which
were pronounced ''fishy" by the work
men.
"rfe governor sent for me one morn
ing" he was saying one day as en-
tered the composing room and joined {
group of workmen who were waiting
for the one o'clock signal.
"What'd he want of you?" asked the
galley boy, doubtingly.
WAITED me to go down to Carbon
dale and see if it would be necessary tC
order out the militia to put down rio
among the miners"
| looked at him and thought thai
truly he had the appearance of an am
bassador for the governor.
Didn't want to go, but the governor
, insisted and / went. Things looked
ugly when got there, but talked tc
the miners and before left everything
} was as quiet as a summer morn. The
! governor wanted to give me a job tina
paid five thousand dollars year to pay
for that, but would not have it. Go
: any tobacco?" he asked of slug twenty
as the bell rang.
"Yes," he continued as he took hi
place at his case, ~ could have beer
the governors private secretary If
had wanted the place, but | went bacl
and worked on my paper till"
Here he stopped. Although he woult
talk for hours of things that happened
to him during his balmy days, he neve
spoke of the circumstances whicl
caused him TO go out into the world
tramp
lie worked away for nearly six week
and we had come to Look upoh him as ;
| peInanent hXLnra pYLnn nnr Innrninl