The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-01-22
Ayers
Cherry Peeteral
is now HALF PRICE for the half-size
bottles-50 cents.
STORY OF a WASTED LIFE.
From Comfortable Home to a
Tramp's Condition.


Tramp's Condition.
From the City Of Mexico Two Republics
l was about TO enter one of the dining
room of this city for my regular after
noon meal, when a fairly dressed man ap-
preached me. and, after considering, he
said: q am hungry; yes, honestly hungry.
Can you do anything for me?" His voice
had that smooth, educated sound which
one likes to hear. and, without consider
ing that fact that l had previously been
made victim of number of his gentry,
l took him inside, and, as l ordered din
ner for two, l got a first-class chance to
look him over. He was young man of 81
years or thereabouts. His face, through
grimy, had a decidedly straightforward
look and as he began to eat 1 also OBJ
served that he was refined in manners
was becoming interested in the fellow for
some uneXplainable reason. and when the
contents of the dishes had disappeared
and he announced that his appetite was
appeased, ] asked him to take a walk. To-
gether we strolled 10 the Alomeda, where
after seating ourselves l ventured to ask
him what brought him to Mexicos After
considerable hesitation he replied: Mis-
ter, l am not used to this life, and 1 am
here because 1 have tried to get as far
away from the city that ! was born and
raised in as possible. / am the only son
of a man of wealth in a large city in the
northern part of the United States and l
was raised in what is termed the lap of
luxury. ! received the very best educa-
ton that money could furnish, and when
three years ago l graduated from college
my father placed his hand upon my head
and said: My son, / am proud. of you
From the college door l went directly to
the Office of my fathers extensive COM
tai
gained what the old man called a knowl-
edge of the business, / would have been
taken in as a partner of the firm. About
this time / became engaged 10 a young
lady who was my equal in everything, So
cially, and the wedding day was set.
"A few days after the date of my mar
rage was settled, an old college chum ar
rived in the city, and, what is natural, ac-
cepted my invitation to make our house
his headquarters while in town. He was
hail fellow well met, and in few days
we were nightly engaged in taking in
the town. One morning after being out
all night / accidentally met my fiancee
upon the street, and she seeing my in
toXicated condition, passed by me, and
the mere sight of her sobered me COM
pletely. That afternoon / received a let
ter from her, inclosing her engagement
ring, and stating that she did not care to
become a drunkards wife, breaking the
engagement. For hours 1 was as crazy
man, and when my senses returned
made an attempt to see her. but was de
barred the house. I sent letters. mes
sages, begging, entreating her to for
give me. 1t was useless. In a few days
/ returned to my office but could not
put my mind on what l was doing and
took the usual course, tried to drown my
troubles by drink. II was but a step I
met boon companions who helped me
down the easy path. From the saloon,
one more short step and l was in the
gambling house. AT first / used to win
and I was continually during the hours of
business 70 be found at the card tables
One day had what they called a bad run
of luck and lost all the money I had,
amounting TO several thousand dollars
and in my desperation l wrote out
check, and, signing my fathers name to
it, / sent one of the employees of this
den to the bank, which cashed the check
unhesitatngly.
A few hours play followed, and once
more l was broke. arose from that ia
BILE forger of parents name, and rush
ing out OF the house, 1 made my way to
the river with the intention of ending il
all. On my way had to cross number
of railroad tracks, and Just as | reached
them n long freight train came along
bound whittier l knew not, and cared less
l boarded the moving cars, and crawling
| up the sides l lay on the top of one of
| them, and as I lay there my whole life
| came to me, and in a moment of frenzy
! jumped from the now fast moving train.
| BY some miraculous reason / escaped the
| death craved. but was rendered uncon-
| scious from the shock. When l came to
| my senses ! crawled and limped along the
! track, and in few hours reached a little
| town. Upon inquiry was told that was
| fifty miles from the town of my birth
sat down upon the platform Of the station
and glancing at my hands l saw "our' en-
gagement ring. Again The past came 10
me- and this time / cried like a child.
took the ring off my hand. and putting il
inside of the last letter which "she" had
written me, l looked about for a place TO
lie down; ! was exhausted and faint I
had eaten nothing oil day, and il was now
late In the evening, in fact, il was dark
! went up to the track again, and living
down upon the grass near by I slept the
sleep of the weary, and dreamed of my
home which had so lately left / awoke
with a start, and found that day was
about to break. and as / tried by the re-
naming strength left in my body to stand
up l heard a sharp whistle, and train
was pulling out of the depot toward me-
Asserting my viii power started to my
feet and ran as fast as 1 could i'm the d.
reetion of the coming train. saw as /
ran that 10 was freight, and as the cars
began to go by me / managed to see a