The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1893-01-15
THE DESERT TRAMP.
Incidents Of Nomad Life in the
Land Of Thirst.
Plenty or Feed In Spite of tho ArI1Ity-
instructed In Applying for Work.
Got Il Bcefstcak la Harsh
Fashion.

Although tramps a-plenty can be
found in all parts of the United States,
the people of the desert mining camps
that, like Daggctt California, are To-
Gated on railroads, believe that three
times as many can be found there in
proportion to the population as in any
other part of the country Wretchcd as
this country is as n site for human hab-
itation, devoid of all human necessities
devoid, even, Of water save at the
stations-and cursed with climate all
but intolcrable, day never passes
without 4 tramp coming to the doors
OF some of the houses and begging
for food. Nor do they coniinc them
selves to begging. They brow beat and
tcrrorizc women found alone in tncir
homes and the Chinese cooks employed
in restaurants and kitchens, very
much as tramps do elsewhere, and this,
too, in spite of the reputation which
desert men have for taking the law in
their own hands in dealing with such
cases
Then too, the reputation of the aver
age desert man rs Il Inan-killcr is unde-
served. There are despcradocS on the
desert, and they do the killing, rs Il
rule. The men who have wives and
kitchens are not dcspcradocs. They
arc respectable citizens, willing to en-
durc great privations in the hone of a
future competence. They are like re-
spectacle citizens elsewhere i'll their
slowncss to take Il bloody revenge for
personal injury. The tramp knows
this very well, and acts or his know
ledge. In a journey that included the
widest towns on the Moinvc desert
the writer did not hear of single
tramp who had been killed for his
tcmerity nor did he find more than one
house that was at all free from their
visits, and that house did not enjoy en-
tire Immunity. 1t was left compare
lively free, however, because of the
vigorous treatment which the nomad
received ut The hands OF it's master
MIR. j. w. S. Perry, of Daggctt, is
the superintendent of Il borate of
lime mine in the Calico mountains,
nine miles from there. III S office is in
his house there. where he lives with his
wife, who, during most of the year,
keeps no servant. When they first
came there the tramps swarmctl about
girl, and could not bear to refuse Il man
who asked for food in respectful Lam
gupge. But one day came a tramp to
the kitchen door who was not respect
full. He walked right III without a
word. AS luck had it Mr.. Perry hap
pcncd to walk in at the dining-room
at the same instant.
Superintendent of desert mines are
accustomed to dealing with all kinds
of men and are particularly prompt in
action.
What do you want?" said Perry to
the tramp.
~ came to sec you about getting 4
job" replied the tramp, who was try
ing to make the best of bad case.
And you thought the way to get
work was to colEe around to the lSitch-
en- door and enter without knocking,
did you?' The tramp made no reply,
and Mr.. Perry continucd
Il will conduct you to the office door
and show you how to get in there in a
proper way"
At that Perry turned the tramp
around, kicked him ont the kitchen
door, kicked him around the house to
thc oiiiCC uoOI anu StOOu MIN up tncre
and said:
Now knock on the door"
The man knocked and Perry opened
it and entered
Come in" he said, and the tramp
followed.
do you want work or have You got
rather more than you wanted?" Perry
continued.
The man glanced up and then fled.
Perry is siX-footer, who can kick like
Il desert mule
1t was long time before Mrs. Perry
WAS troubled by tramps again; but. of
course, there was no escaping them al
together. Even the purchase of won
Gcrfully intelligent and well-trained
dog did not keep them away alto
Eether. Mr.. Perry had to drive to the
mine, nine miles away, several times
week, and the wife was often left
alone for seve raj hours at time. One
afternoon something at the mine de-
:aincd Perry so that he could not reach
home until after dark Mrs Perry I'M
derstood the matter. and did not begin
to prepare supper until after nightfall.
she was going to broil steak that
night, and. having lighted the fire and
lamp. was putting the b:oilcr on the
stove when tramp stallscd in at the
open kitchen door, having in some way
escaped the dog. The frightened look
that cau.e To Mrs Ioar,v's fcca NJ ono,