Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-01-24
Joys OF THE TRAMP.


ri
Down at the bottom there - strong
trace Of the tramp In everybody. 10
strike work once in awhile and set OF
into the woods. with nothing to do but
laze. loaf. fish. and wear ragged clothes.
Is ineffably' eweet se-~ through the
vista Of this alluring experience. what
drudgery and abject slavery does the Or
binary mol Of life look like. But this
mere vacation taste Of the thing IL only
cilettante trifiinR a. compared with Sc
rlous professional work. Why not come
out and be a man ike the genuine tramp;
strike a brave blow for absolute free
dom, and henceforth renounce forever
the world and all Its treadmIll routine?
Already have nearly 5000 able-bodied
men in the land taken this heroic stand;
and, II Is grateful 10 add. thus far been
met by their countrymen with an annual
provision for their support OF over $780,
00o--neariy one half the cost OF our rl-
tional army. 'H -
The tramp has stupendous historical
background behind him to fil him with
justifiable pride. Indeed, the transition
from the nomadc 10 the agricultural ana
Industrial life Is said by historians to
have involved the severest struggle or re-
adjustment humanity has ever been
through. All. the bondage OF Egypt could
not effect II in the case Of the Hebrew
Bedoulns. who broke out again into the
free life OF the desert. Magnificent,
equality, Is II to witness the renewal Oh
these great historical throes OF the ages
in the breast OF the tramp of to-day
when ANONYMOUSLY called on to saw
little wood In pay for his breakfast. NO!
he Is a nomad, with the blood or ms an
ces.ors in his veins, and scorns your IN
dustrai civilization.
The love OF travel Is leep-rooted In the
human breast. Housekeeping youths
have ever homely wits" says snake
speare; to which Milton adds for fhe en-
couragement of Adam and Eve, tne
world was all before them wnere 10
choose" De,icately responsive 10 tnis
high strain Of poetry, the constant sum
mons OF the tramp to his soul Is, 10
morrow for green fields and pastures
new" Work would tether him to one
dun SPOT. 50 work he Indignantly re-
fuses as the foe OF all range or eye anu
imagination. \.
Further. dear lover Of conversation -
the professional tramp-an accomplish
ment which, under the pressure OF care
Is said fast to be becoming iost ART IN
America. It's cultivation demands ieisur-
OF mind. a rich variety OF topics prish
/ Interchange of jests and stories, an mt
mate knowledge of manners ana CUSTOMS.
one soon talks himself out to Few
ne,ehbors. In the nightly bivouac OF
tramps. however, what variety OF socia;
talent presents itself? Each has some
interesting adventure 10 narrate, with q
fresh audience to try 1t upon. till II has
been wrought TO Its finest point ana
polished to its highest lustre. hicn no
YOU consider your best sermonE askeu
Louis XIV. to Massillon. Sire was Inc
answer. "the one l have preached often-
est" In other words, sermon, IKE
coat. must be tried or a number OF times
before IL can be made to fit. This the
tramp understands of conversation quite
az we'll as did Massillon Of sermons, anc
10 this he owes at once his delight In It's
exercise as well as his perfection in the
art. Altogether the life proves as fasci-
Mating as Robert Burns has so gloriousl>
pictured II In hts poem. 1.-The Jolly Beg
gars.'
IL Is always we'll first to get into SYM
pathetic touch with any class or human
! beings before undertaking to improve
| them out Of existence. This at least ac-
oualnts the LEGISLATOR with the difficult
ties he has to deal with In trying TO
| extirpate any especial breed OF his fell
| Iow-craatures. None the less. after all
| the genial sympathies that may be ex-
| tended by Woodworking and useful peo'
| pie tosthe joys of the tramp, he stlll mas
| his serious drawbacks from an economic,
| a legal. a medical. and moral point OF
| view The consumption of commodities
| he promotes IL mainly that OF tobacco
| and whlskey. The distribution he effects
| is largely that OF vermin, itch, and vene'
| real diseases. He lies, he steals, and on
favorable occasions he murders The
| burden he imposes on industrious peop.e
| IL severe. and the vague terrors he
spreads throughout vast regions Is
| chronic nightmare. All these things cons
sIdered Is not the cost OF allowing 5000
people thus TO abandon themselves to
| the idyllic joys OF purely poetic exist
ence more than Is justified by the net re-
| suit to human welfare? Is 1t fair that
single favored class should be permitted
| TO monopolize all the delights OF life
travel conversation, whiskey, tobacco
+, 1oafng. exemption from soap and water
total Observation-Disclosures that, too, at
| cost OF 100000 year. and no end oil
corrodlng envy from those who have to
stay stupldly at home and work hare
for wife and child and Preside?