The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1893-03-03
THE DESERT TRAMP.
Incidents of Nomad Life in the
Land of Thirst
Plenty OF Feed In spite of the Aridity-
instructed in Applying for Work
Got "A Beefsteak in Harsh


Although tramps a-plenty can be
found in all parts of the United States,
the people of the desert mining camps
that, like Daggett, California, arc To-
Gated ON railroads, believe that rhree
times as many can be found there in
proportion To the population rs in any
other part of the country Nrctched rs
this country Is as a site for human hab-
itation, devoid of all human necessities
devoid, even. of water save ut the
stati0ns-and cursed with climate all
but intOlcrablc, a day never passes
without a 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
terroriZc women found alone in tneir
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 as mIn-killcr II uude-
served. There are dcsperadocS ON the
desert, and they do the killing, "a a
rule. The men who have wives and
kitchens are not deSperadocs- They
are respectable citizens, willing % en-
durr great privatious in the hope Of
futur, competence They are like re
spectacle citizens elsewhere in their
sIowucss 10 take a bloody revenge FOR
"a personal injury. The tramp knows
this very well, and acts or his know
ledge. In journey that included the
widest towns on the Mojave desert
the writer did not hear Of single
tramp who had been killed for his
temerity 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 cOmpara-
lively free however, because of the
vigorous treatment which the nomad
received at the hands of its master.
Mr. J. W. :. Perry, of Daggctt, is
the superinteudcnt of a borate of
line mine in the Calico mountains,
nine miles from there ii olii.s is in
his house there. here he lives with his
wife, who, during most of the year,
keeps no servant. When they first
came there the tramps swarmcd about
the house. Mrs. Perry is Il California
girl, and could not bear to refuse a man
" no asked for food in respectful lam
guagc. But one day came Il tramp 10
the kitchen door who was not respect
full. lie walked right in without u
word. As luck had it Mr. Perry hap
pcned To walk in at the diningroom
at the same instant.
Supcrintendents 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.
Il came to see you about getting a
job" replied the tramp, who was try
ing to make the best of Il bad case.
And You thought the way to get
work was to come around to the l<itch-
en- door and enter without knocking,
did you?" The tramp made no reply,
and Mr.. Perry continued:
Il viii 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 out the kitchen
door, kicked him around the house to
the office door and stood him up there
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 fed.
Perry is a siX-footer, who can kick like
Il desert mule.
1t was a long time before Mrs. Perry
was troubled by tramps again; but, of
course, there was no escaping them al
together. Even the purchase OF n Won
derfully intelligent and weil-trained
dog did not keep them away alto
gether- 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 n time. One
afternoon something at the mine de-
;ained Perry so that he could not reach
home until after dark. Mrs. Perry un-
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 broiler on the
stove when tramp stallted in at the
open kitchen door, having in some way
escaped the dog. The frightened look
that came to Mrs. Porrys face at once
showed him that he was master of the
situation, and sitting down at the ta-
bic. he bade her go on and get the
steak ready in hRste and to fetch out
the best of everything she had in addi-
ton. The bearing of the man was 50
terrifying that Mrs. Perry did not dare
To refuse. and, greatly agitated, she
brought the steak and put it over the