The Wilmington daily Republican., 1895-08-12
ATranIp's story.

Have you pair of old shoes for an
honest tramp who,is nearly barefoot2" In.
quired a man 6S years old with gray hairs
and a face that did not belle hls words at
the door OF the Transcript ssuctum one
day last week. His language Indicated
that ha Ia above the averaR in intelligence
among the Knights OF the Road. and he
was invited In to tell his little story. There
is no reason to doubt Its trnthfuiness ex.
cept that man may doabt everything.
he has not personal knowledge or This
'lSir knight said be has been on the road
about three weeks. coming from Bethle.
hem, Pa. where before these hnrd times"
came on he had useful employment as a
laborer, not having trad1. His hands
were shown In evidence OF his belng son
of toll.
He had entered Delaware hoping to
pick peaches but dnds In the peach SEQ.
tions about ten peach plucks" awaiting
lob Tor every man that the farmers will
care to employ. He says the railroad
from Clayton to Seatord, the limit OF hls
travels. ID ''llned with trnmps" and that
they are having hard time TO live. The
tramp who gets two meals a day Ia a
happy follow and contented. He himself
has gone more than once or twice for two
days at a time without a particle OF food
He ssays that man begging his.
bread Will work on an nyeragos two
hours a day TO get breakfast. huatllng
from house to house, to get q bite here
and scrap there. Dinner is the main
meal, ana the man who gels fair one
does not trouble about supper,
The tramp is fortunate who gets
square meal" once in two weeks nil that
he can est He said that most OF them
DO not complain, recognizing the fact
that they are heavy Tax upon the people
OIL the country, but II is not the wealthy
who are the m ost generous and treat the
tramp best; IL Is the people in moderate
cirou ms tances and In some Instances the
com passionate poor who share their little
with fellow In dieiress,n
How do we slesp2 On fair nights url.
der ttse or In an old out house. II by
chance one is within our knowledge or In
box cars along the railroad. Our tattered
coats serve rs pillows. II It Is not too cold
to take them of and we turn many times
during the night because OF the hardness
OF the pllnke on which we lie. Three or
-FOUR houra aleep is as much as the tramp
gets between fightlug the mosquitoes in
the night and the iltes In the day tlme.
The box cars are fairly comfortable Tor
shelter but we always run the risk of
being pulled and Jailed for three or four
days. The tramp Is committed for ten or
tweuty days but ie quietly let out in from
thing OF 1t in fees and board bills"
THE cause OF o::r tramplugl The
causes are many. Some do not want
work and tramping is professiUL, but /
can assure you that the hardest work
ever did. and | have raised a family OF
past three weeks IN your State trying TO
live honestly and to keep from starving,
seeking any kind OF work l could find. /
read the papers and smile when | SEQ
that business is booming. Go as | hava
from shop to shop. from factory to fac.
torp, seeking Tor something to do. aud
you Will recognize that 1t Is only a DO.
litical trick 10 claim that business Is
good"
The origin OF the trouble Oh, / do
not blame Cleveland as 80 many do
think the manufacturers got scared when
there was no reason for It, business was
good when Cleveland was elected and the
closing OF factories was not necessary.
or course | know the threats of tariff re-
form and the change In value consequent
upon tariff revision but still l hold that
there Was more threat than performance
In the attack upon Protection by the OH.
eaEo platform aud the manufacturers
should have kopt things going. This Is
the opinion og tramp only. Thank you
Sill, wish you well let your political opln-
iol5 be what they may. Good day.