The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1893-03-25
THE DESERT TRAMP.
Incidents Of Nornad Life in the
Land Of Thirst.
Plenty of Feed 1, Spite or the Aridity-
Instructed In Applying for Work
Got Bsefsteak In Harsh
Fashion.

Although trarps a-plenty can be
found in all parts of the United States,
the people of the desert mining camps
that, like Daggett, California, are lo-
Gated on railroads, believe that three
times rs many can be found there Id
proportion to the population as in any
other part of the country. Wretched as
this country is rs site for human hab-
itation. devoid Of all human necessities
devoid, even, of water save at the
stations-anl cursed with climate all
but intolcrable, day never passes
without q tramp coming to the doors
of some of the houses and begging
for food. Nor do they eonfnc them.
selves to begging. They brow beat and
tcrrorisc women found alone in tneir
homes and the Chinese cocks 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 tho law in
their own hands in denling With sueh
cases.
Then. too, the reputation Of the aver
age desert man as tnnn-killer is undo
served. There are dcsperadocs on the
desert, and they do the killing, as q
rule. The men who have wives and
kitchens are not dcsperadoes. They
are respectable citizens, willing to en-
durc great privations in the hope of a
future competence. They nre like re-
spectacle citizens elsewhere In their
slowncss to take bloody revenge for
n personal injury. Tho tramp knows
this very well, and acts cn his knew.
ledge. In u Journey that included the
widest towns on the Mojavc 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 al 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 ncmad
received at The hands of its master
Mr.. J. w. S. Perry, of Daggc:t, is
the superintendent of bora.e Of
lirse mine in the Calico mountains,
nine miles from there II OF . is Ia
his house there. where he lives with bis
wife, who, during most of the year.
keeps no servant When they first
came there the tratnps swarmed about
the house. Mrs Perry is California
girl, and could not bear torefusc n man
who asked for food in respectful Ian
guagc. Eut one day came tramp to
the kitchen door who was not respect
full. lie walked right in without n
word. As luck had it Mr.. Perry hap
pened 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.
II came to see you about getting
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 come around 10 the iitcli-
en- door and enter without knocking,
did you?" The tramp made no reply,
and Mr.. Perry continued:
II will conduct you to the Office door
and show you how to get in there in q
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 hirl up there
and said:
.Now knock on the door,
Tho man knocked and Perry opened
II and entered.
Come in" he said and the tramp
followed.
do you want work or have you got
rather more than you waated?" Perry
continued.
The man glanced up and then flcd.
Perry is six-footcr. who can lSlcl, like
a 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 a won
derfuliy intelligent and wcll-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 q time. One
afternoon something at the mine de-
tanned 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 nightfan.
She was going to broil steak that
night, and. having lighted the FIRE and
lamp. was putting the broiler on the
stove when "A tramp stallxed in at the
open kitchen door, having in some way
escaped the dog The frightened look
that caEe to Mrs. Perry's face at once